Okay, here's another one of the numerous one shots I've accumulated on my computer. This one took me a long time (almost a month) to write, but I think it's finally good enought to make it to you guys. I hope you like it!
Disclaimer: 07 Ghost belongs to Yuki Amemiya. Not me.
Warnings: Kuroyuri has a slip in language, and lots of implied romance that could be seen as friendship if you wanted it.
Jumping to Conclusions
"Stop it Hyuuga. I don't like this." Kuroyuri whined between pursed lips as he tugged against the nylon cord that bound his wrists. Hyuuga currently had him pinned in one of the many chairs in the Black Hawk's office, a hand firmly griping his face. At Kuroyuri's command, Hyuuga merely smiled innocently and tightened his grip, making sure that his thumb dug painfully into the younger Hawk's cheek. Kuroyuri made a show of his discomfort by wrenching his head back and forth and kicking ferociously.
"Come now, this'll never do. Respectable ladies don't thrash about like wild animals. What will the high society think about you if you behave like this at the party tonight?" Hyuuga mocked, his smile never leaving his face. Kuroyuri abruptly stopped moving and made himself limit his rebellion to burning glares and sharp words.
"I'm not a respectable lady. Hell, you don't even know if I'm a boy or a girl. So why do I have to dress up like one and go to this stupid party? We weren't even invited." Kuroyuri asked. Hyuuga didn't answer, instead opting to reach over to the nearby desk and retrieve a small container of bright red lipstick. Kuroyuri brought his lips between his teeth and bit down on them, effectively hiding them from Hyuuga's diabolical tool of feminism. This also served as a way for him to wordlessly command an answer. After a few test squeezes on Kuroyuri's cheeks to see if he could coax the younger to relent, Hyuuga sighed in resignation.
"Admiral Oak has invited Aya-tan to a party at the Oak estate tonight." Hyuuga stated simply. Kuroyuri released his lips from his teeth in order to form them into a curious pout and rolled his eyes to the ceiling as he began to think to herself. Hyuuga took his chance and began to paint the younger's mouth.
"That doesn't answer my question. What does that have to do with me going?" Kuroyuri further inquired, completely oblivious to the other Hawk's actions. Hyuuga made a sound of exasperation as the lipstick smeared across Kuroyuri's chin as he talked. He grabbed a tissue from the desk and lightly moistened it with the tip of his tongue before rubbing the red mistake away.
"Well, rumor has it that the Admiral is going to present Aya-tan with a suitor." Kuroyuri gave a horrified gasp at this, "You have two jobs. One, find out if this rumor is true, and, two, if this is the truth, take every measure to prevent them from falling in love." Kuroyuri's expression became determined, but he still fought Hyuuga as he now tried to apply mascara to his one exposed eye.
"But why do I have to dress like a girl?" Kuroyuri continued to whine, but refrained from moving because of the wand that was brushing along his eyelashes.
"Everyone will know that it's you if you go looking like you always do. We need someone with subtlety, grace, and beauty to infiltrate the party unnoticed well enough to get to Aya-tan and you're the only one of us who can pull it off. Konatsu, and I will be there too, but we can only support you from the background." Hyuuga answered, applying a shade of tawny brown shadow to the lieutenant's eyelid. Kuroyuri blushed lightly at the compliment.
Across the room, the door opened to reveal Konatsu, carrying two garment bags, and the Raggs twins, each of whom carried a shoe box. Konatsu heaved the bags onto a desk close to Hyuuga and Kuroyuri and slumped into a chair with a relieved sigh.
"Geez, I never thought that finding a dress would be so hard. " He gasped. The twins followed his example and quickly found a chair to relax in, neither bothering to put up their boxes. Hyuuga turned Kuroyuri's face to Konatsu, his decorating complete and ready to be judged.
"What do you think of our little girl Konatsu? Pretty, huh? She'll be sure to capture the hearts of all the fine lads tonight." Hyuuga declared, obviously proud of his artistry.
"I bet I look like a cheap whore." Kuroyuri added sourly. Konatsu simply responded with a short laugh. The twins followed suit, despite not being able to understand the joke. Hyuuga, for once, was the only one who failed to find something funny.
Half an hour later, Hyuuga, Konatsu, and the twins sat in a semicircle of uncomfortable chairs looking worriedly towards the bathroom door on the other side of the Black Hawks' office. The door seemed to be doing little to contain, or even muffle, the louder than necessary string of obscenities. It seemed that Kuroyuri was shooting for a record. Hyuuga briefly wondered how someone so young had come to know of so many "bad words". He would have to ask Haruse when he came back. Everyone jumped when the door slammed open, sticking as the doorknob punched through the drywall. Hyuuga, always willing to push his boundaries, was the first to recover.
"I honestly don't know why you look so mad. You should thank Konatsu for finding you such a pretty dress. It even fits well. Good job Konatsu." Hyuuga congratulated, bumping Konatsu's shoulder with the back of his hand, causing the younger to blush. Kuroyuri's dress was knee length with thick straps for the shoulders. It was a solid dark brown, save for the bottom hem, which was thinly decorated with small black flowers and vines. Hyuuga stood and steered Kuroyuri towards one of the large windows so he could see his reflection, as the office did not have a full-length mirror. After examining his reflection for several seconds, his anger seemed to dissipate considerably. It was, after all, really a pretty dress.
Suzu, the dark haired and more outgoing of the Raggs twins, jumped up quickly and walked around to the back of his chair, speaking quickly in his native tongue. Yuki, being the only one to understand, turned and had a brief conversation with his sibling, looking worried at first but then seeming to accept whatever Suzu was planning. Yuki briskly came over to Kuroyuri and gently took his hand to lead him over Suzu's chair and set him into it. Suzu wasted no time in taking down his braid and rearranging his hair into a bun at the nape of his neck. Yuki worked in tandem, fussing over and cleaning up Suzu's quick work. They finished in less than a minute and earned good marks from both Hyuuga and Konatsu.
"What's in that bag?" Kuroyuri asked, seeing the other garment bag that still lay on the desk. Hyuuga looked at it and immediately became curious. Konatsu saw through his superior's intentions and snatched up the bag before the Major could reach it and begin rummaging through it. A mischievous smile graced Hyuuga's features as he began trying to get the bag from Konatsu.
"What's the big deal? You're date's dressed, why aren't you?" Konatsu blushed a bright red and crouched into a near fetal position, hugging the bag to his chest. Kuroyuri could only look around confused.
"What? Who's my date?" Hyuuga took advantage of Konatsu's position and simply pushed him over onto his side and taking the bag as his subordinate recovered. Hyuuga laid the bag gingerly across the nearest desk and unzipped it slowly, as if its contents were suddenly breakable and priceless. He tsked as he pulled out a deep blue suit jacket.
"Shame on you, Konatsu. You almost wrinkled your suit. Then, not only would you look bad, you're cute little date would too." Hyuuga teased, working in the answer to Kuroyuri's question at the same time. If it were possible for the blonde to redden more, he would have, but sadly, he was at his limit.
"Why would I need a date? I'm okay by myself." Kuroyuri said. Hyuuga merely waved a hand at him.
"I know you're perfectly capable of defending yourself. Konatsu's merely going to keep up appearances. Going with a date ensures that no perverted men just hitting a mid-life crisis try to distract you from your goal: destroying Aya-tan's chances at love." Everyone stopped at this. Except the twins, who had busied themselves with stamping Hyuuga's paperwork.
"Major, that sounds a lot worse when you make it objective." Konatsu remarked as he made his way to the bathroom to put on his suit.
Later that night, Konatsu and Kuroyuri stood stiffly, arms linked like proper dates, against the wall of the Oak's crowded ballroom. Both were blushing profusely at the awkwardness of not only being so close to each other, but also having everyone of importance within the first district watching their every move. They had arrived at the party more than an hour ago and had yet to see any sign of Ayanami.
The ballroom was beyond elegantly decorated. The floors were a polished, cream colored marble that continued up the wall to Konatsu's shoulders. The remainder of the walls and high ceiling were muted beige, the combination giving the room an endless feel. The only breaks in color were the expansive glass doors, easily twenty feet high, and two equally large windows that flanked them on either side. These looked out toward the Oak's front courtyard. Large tables covered in a myriad of food, punch, and floral decorations were set at several places around the room, ensuring that no guest was ever too far from any refreshment. The dance floor was simple, being only a large area devoid of furniture or decoration, but was now crowded with innumerable couples who seemed to float along to the quietly playing band who resided in their own corner of the room. Konatsu and Kuroyuri, unused to such grandeur, were glued to the wall, not doing much more than looking and fidgeting.
"Now why would a cute couple such as you come to such an extravagant party, only to stand against the wall?" Both were broken out of their reverie by a tall man dressed in a black tuxedo. The man was apparently one of the many waiters who were roaming around the party.
"Major, at least take your glasses off. You're the only person Ayanami knows who would wear sunglasses indoors, especially at such a formal party." Konatsu said, gaining confidence around his superior. Hyuuga only smiled innocently and leaned forward to look over his glasses and make eye contact with his subordinate.
"Seriously, you need to get out there in the crowd. I saw Aya-tan on the other end of the room, talking to the higher ups. Take Kuroyuri dancing or something. You can't do anything from over here." And with that, Hyuuga walked away and almost immediately blended with the crowd. Konatsu sighed heavily. He had a point. They would have to get closer to Ayanami if they wanted the mission to be a success. Stepping out and turning to face Kuroyuri, he bowed slightly and offered her his hand.
"May I have this dance?" he asked, a blush tinting his cheeks. He hated missions requiring that he go undercover. He constantly had to worry about appearances. Kuroyuri's face flushed and he placed his hand in the blonde's, accepting with only a nod of his head.
"Konatsu, I don't know how to dance fancy." Kuroyuri admitted once they were on the dance floor.
"It's okay. We only have to dance to one song, and come out on the other side of the room where Ayanami is." He nodded and Konatsu gently guided his hands to rest on his shoulders before letting his own settle on his coworker's slim hips. The simple dance only required that the two slowly spun about each other, and soon the mellow rocking from them shifting their weight from foot to foot began to lull Kuroyuri to sleep. Konatsu noticed this when he leaned into him to support himself on his chest and he hoped that the music would stop before the pink haired boy fell asleep completely. His hopes were not in vain, the song coming to an almost immediate end. He pushed Kuroyuri away from him slightly to meet his heavily lidded eye.
"Kuroyuri, you're about to fall asleep. Maybe something to eat will help wake you back up?" he inquired. He nodded absently and allowed the blonde to hold his hand and lead him to a nearby table. Konatsu searched the collection of food before finally deciding that a mint, with had both sugar and a strong flavor, and would work best. He turned to give the candy to Kuroyuri, only to find that he was asleep and leaning against his arm. Konatsu shook the young Black Hawk gently.
"Kuroyuri. You're asleep." He wasn't really sure how to proceed when he didn't get a reaction. He shook the boy harder and continued to prod him verbally. He tried several more times with still no reaction. Kuroyuri, the key person in his superior's twisted scheme, was down. Sighing, he bent and picked up the Commander in the same fashion his own begleiter often had, and after a short search, found an empty loveseat to set him down in.
As he tried to pull away after setting him down, but the young Black Hawk clung to his jacket, not wanting the warmth to leave. Konatsu blushed and tried to untangle himself, but Kuroyuri wasn't having it. The blue fabric may have well have been in a bear trap. Konatsu huffed and admitted defeat. He pushed Kuroyuri deeper into the plush chair and sat on the edge at the sleeper's waist. He sighed and rested his head in his hand. He was worried about missing an important chance to complete the mission, but what was he to do? He wasn't exactly in the greatest disguise. Ayanami would surely recognize him if-
"What are you doing here?" a deep baritone voice asked, a hint of annoyance evident. Konatsu's heart suddenly jumped into his throat and he looked at his questioner with wide, amber eyes. As he feared, Ayanami stood over him, amethyst eyes narrowed and mouth bent into a scowl. Konatsu panicked and shot up to salute him, completely forgetting that Kuroyuri was still clinging to the front of his jacket. The many opposing forces of weight and movement sent them both to the floor, much to Konatsu's embarrassment and Kuroyuri's surprise.
"Konatsu, why are you here?" Ayanami repeated, mostly hiding his impatience. Konatsu stood, an arm around the still groggy Kuroyuri's waist.
"Major Hyuuga said that Admiral Oak was going to present you a suitor at tonight's party." Ayanami looked mildly surprised, "He sent us here to make sure that doesn't happen." Ayanami heaved an exasperated sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. Konatsu and Kuroyuri, who by now had fully awoken, cowered into each other. The Chief of Staff was famous for his harsh punishments.
"So he put you in a dress?" Ayanami asked, pointing to Kuroyuri. The boy nodded and looked at his superior pitifully. Ayanami scoffed and looked away, not wanting to show them that the small Hawk had a sliver of effect on him. His subordinates were like sharks when it came to weakness and, while he appreciated the ability on the battlefield, he didn't like to have it used on him.
"Is Hyuuga here as well?" Ayanami asked after several agonizing seconds. The young Hawks both nodded. "Then go home. That rumor isn't true. This party is nothing more than an extravagant meeting for the Oaks to flaunt." He said, turning and simply walking away. Konatsu and Kuroyuri both sighed in relief. They may still receive a punishment at the office later on, but for now they were unharmed. Kuroyuri pulled on Konatsu's sleeve and began dragging him to the large doors.
"Come on. I wanna get out of this dress."
"What's wrong with you?" Ayanami asked Hyuuga. It didn't take him long to track down the bespectacled man and drag him to a vacant patio at the side of the Oak estate. The darkness of the night was thick and the faded light from a nearby window was their only illumination. Hyuuga grinned and danced nervously. It was obvious that Ayanami was very angry with him.
"I heard that you would be presented a suitor tonight?" Hyuuga offered, hoping that it would be enough, but knowing deep down that it wouldn't. As he thought, Ayanami's eyes narrowed. He didn't buy it.
"Even if that were more than a rumor, what does it have to do with you?" Ayanami asked in not much more than a growl. Hyuuga fidgeted, knowing that, no matter how he answered, he was already guaranteed a painful punishment.
"What if you liked that girl? I was worried that she would try to take you away from the Black Hawks." By now Ayanami's eyes were no more than slits.
"You really think that some woman would be able to convince me to abandon my cause?" Ayanami spat, somehow maintaining a calm tone. Hyuuga didn't have an answer. He looked innocently to the sky and backed up a step. Ayanami reached into the front of his white suit jacket and began to pull something out. Hyuuga eyes widened as he realized what it was.
"Aya-tan, why would you bring that to a party!" These were Hyuuga's last cries.
Inside, two members of the First District's elite class sat in cushy chairs, sipping brandy and sharing polite conversation. Suddenly one of them leaned forward and looked out of the dark window, but saw nothing in the inky darkness. His companion was curious and leaned forward to look as well.
"What is it?" the second man asked. The other shrugged and settled back in his chair.
"It was so odd. I would have sworn I heard a distinct whipping sound."
Love it? Hate it? Need improvement? Let me know! I love hearing what you think!