Disclaimer: I don't own Drug&Drop, the idea of this fic, or the lyrics – they belong to CLAMP, Yumi Kei, and One Direction, respectively.
Yumi Kei, I'm so, so sorry it took so long to get this fic written! D: It was in the back of my mind all the time, but I just didn't have the motivation to write... But, finally, here it is! Hope you enjoy! :)
NOTE TO ALL: Dark Horse will be releasing LD/D&D in English, so please support CLAMP and buy the manga!
-o-o-o-o-o-
Oh, I just wanna take you anywhere that you'd like
We can go out any day, any night
Baby I'll take you there, take you there,
Baby take you there, yeah!
"KAZAHAYA!"
Said teen looked up from the CD case in his hands to Rikuou, whom had just entered their shared apartment.
"What?"
"If you insist on playing music that loudly, can you at least make sure it's not utter crap?"
Kazahaya frowned, "One Direction isn't crap – everyone likes them right now and they have good music!"
The taller teen came further into the room, marched to the stereo and switched it off.
"Hey!"
Ignoring the exclamation, Rikuou turned to his roommate. "They're popular with little girls. No one in their right mind likes them."
The lighter teen's face flushed, but Rikuou couldn't be sure if it was from embarrassment or anger.
"I'm perfectly sane, thank you very much. Besides," He shrugged, "What if I don't want to be mainstream?"
"I thought you said that everyone likes them – isn't that the definition of mainstream?"
"Ye-wai-I-Ugh!"
Rikuou sniggered as Kazahaya stomped over to eject his CD and flop on his bed.
"Oi! Get up, it's your turn to cook tonight."
Annoyed eyes lifted to look up from under long honey-coloured bangs. The two roommates stared at each other for a while, before Kazahaya gave a sigh of defeat and pushed himself up. He walked past Rikuou, into the kitchen and started pulling out the rice. He grabbed the frying pan and turned to the taller teen.
"Any specific requests?"
Rikuou just shrugged before settling down on the floor with his newspaper. "Nah, just make sure it's edible." He flashed Kazahaya a smirk before casting his eyes down to the black and white text.
"Ugh!"
Rikuou smirked to himself; he loved teasing the shorter teen. There was just something about the way that his amber eyes shone in agitation and a tint of colour appeared on his, usually pale, cheeks. It was also extremely amusing that Kazahaya never got seriously angry. Sure, he would fume and rant, but he would never really hate Rikuou or be annoyed at him for too long. Yes, teasing the lighter teen was great, but…
Green eyes regained focus and lifted to look at the slender teen standing by the stove. He was humming something – most probably a tune from his recently acquired CD..
Yes, an annoyed Kazahaya was nice to look at, but a smiling, cheerful one was even better. And–
Rikuou leaned over slightly, trying to catch a glimpse of Kazahaya's face. There was a serene look there.
Calm. That was also a good look for him.
The taller teen gave an inaudible sigh, every look was good so long as it was on Kazahaya. He turned the page of his paper, pretending to read, just in case said boy was paying attention to him. Rikuou smirked to himself; yeah, right. Like the spazzy teen had the ability to focus on two things at once. Or maybe…
Rikuou narrowed his eyes and perked his ears.
Yes, definitely there was singing. It was barely audible, but clear at the same time, if you were listening hard enough. Apparently the blondie could do two things at once…
"Ouch!"
Or maybe not.
Rikuou let out a laugh and Kazahaya shot him a nasty glare.
The shorter teen resumed his cooking and Rikuou decided to abandon his newspaper in favour of sneaking up behind Kazahaya and breathing down his neck.
"What are you cooking, anyway?"
"Gyah!" Kazahaya would have shot forward, had his path not been blocked by the stove. "Don't sneak up on me that that, you big bear!"
Rikuou gave him a bored look, "I wasn't sneaking – I just wanted to see what you were cooking for me."
Amber eyes narrowed, "'Something edible.' And what you just did is so sneaking!"
The taller teen leaned over to sniff at the food in the pan, pressing the other further into the counter in the process. "Are you sure that's edible?"
Kazahaya lashed out with the spatula, but Rikuou was quick to get out of the way, laughing.
"It won't be edible any more, if you continue to bother me."
"Fine, fine." Rikuou moved further away, but did not leave the kitchen area. If the other boy thought this strange, he did not comment, but returned to his previous task, all the while humming.
-o-o-o-o-o-
"Oooh! I can't believe it!"
"I know! This is, like, the coolest thing since, since – ever!"
Rikuou looked up, annoyed, from his stacking of multivitamins. Why did they always have to get a bunch of excited schoolgirls in the store? Sure, it was good for business, but they were just so obnoxiously loud! They always came in swarms, giggling and gossiping, and always asked Rikuou to point them to the most obvious displays in the store. The dark teen, himself, had taken mental note of the most frequently asked for items in the store and put them out for all to see. Apparently, though, most giggling schoolgirls were in need of glasses...
But wait.
Rikuou stopped his stacking and moved to get a better look at the entrance. The girls were picking out hair ties and lipstick all by themselves. What was going on? Why weren't they approaching Rikuou and asking him to point them to the display?
He moved in closer, in the pretence of fixing the items on another shelf.
"This colour would look really good on you!"
"Yeah, you should get it!"
"But it's so expensive... I need to save money for the tickets."
"Come on, you want to look your best for them, right?"
"Yeah, but..."
"It'll be worth the money when Harry catches a glimpse of you in the first row and pulls you up on stage with him."
"Ah, you're right! I have to get it!"
"I want to buy this! And some soft candy, too!"
"You can't! You'll get fat and then you won't look good for the concert!"
"Oh gosh, you're right! What was I thinking?!"
"Come on, we need to get going, we still need to master all their songs. Why is English so hard? Imagine what One Direction would think if we got some of the words wrong."
"Aah, that would be horrible! We need to go practice!"
"Let's go pay and go back home to try on our makeup and clothes and do a proper dress rehearsal."
Exclamations of approval echoed through the store as the girls made their way to Kakei at the till.
So One Direction were coming to Tokyo... Rikuou looked towards the back room, where Kazahaya was, wondering whether the spaz knew that his favourite band would soon be on their way over to the other side of the world.
-o-o-o-
It was Kazahaya's turn to cook again that evening and he got started without complaint. Rikuou had opted for a shower and he got out just as Kazahaya was plating up. Rikuou paused at the doorway to the kitchen to listen to his flatmate singing yet another One Direction song. Kazahaya turned around and almost dropped the bowls he was carrying.
"Rikuou!"
"What?" The darker teen looked amused, though slightly confused.
"You're sneaking around again – I thought I told you to stop doing that." He set the bowls down and glanced up again. "And put a shirt on."
"Nah," Rikuou flopped down on the floor. "It's better without. Unless," he gave Kazahaya a challenging look, "my semi-nudity is making you uncomfortable."
The blond teen just huffed and put his palms together, "Itadakimasu."
Rikuou continued to watch the other for a few more seconds, before turning his attention to the newspaper. He flicked through a few pages, before pausing at one – an advertisement of the upcoming concert. He quickly skimmed the ad and moved on. An idea was forming in his mind and he glanced at the slighter teen. He didn't know, right? There was no way he knew – he didn't read the paper, nor listen to anything that wasn't said directly to him. It should work. All Rikuou had to do was make sure that the spaz did not find out about the concert for a few days – and by then it would be too late.
"What are you smiling about?"
Green eyes met golden. "You didn't burn the food."
Kazahaya narrowed his eyes, "Of course not! I've learned to cook."
"But now you've even learned how to multitask – I heard you singing earlier." That brought a little colour to the otherwise pale teen's face.
"Hmph, it's none of your business what I do whilst cooking."
"It is if it alters the taste of my food or makes it inedible in any other way."
"Well it didn't, so shut up."
Rikuou just smiled and returned to his paper.
-o-o-o-o-o-
Kazahaya was irritated. Rikuou had left work early that day without so much as a 'bye.' The smaller teen had been left to restock and man the till and clean and close the store. All by himself!
By the time the dirty-blond dragged his tired body up the stairs, he was expecting his co-worker to be home and have dinner ready (it was, technically, Kazahaya's turn to cook, but he figured Rikuou owed him for abandoning him in the store). No such luck.
Kazahaya groaned, but was too hungry to forgo cooking tonight, so he trudged to a kitchen cupboard and pulled down the rice cooker. He then proceeded to the refrigerator to see what he had to work with, making a mental note to talk to Rikuou about going shopping in the near-future.
Absentmindedly, he started humming another song, soon gathering enough momentum to start singing softly.
"You and I
We don't want to be like them
We can make it till the end
Nothing can come between
You and I
Not even the gods above
Could separate the two of us
No nothing can come between
You and I
Oohh You and I"
Kazahaya stopped abruptly. He was singing a love song, but –. Why did that song remind him of Rikuou?
He shook his head. No. He was probably just letting his thoughts wander and his curious nature was making him think of the only person whose whereabouts he did not know.
He gave a relieved sigh and continued his stirring. The humming started up again, but it was a different tune this time.
-o-o-o-
Rikuou didn't return until the wee hours of the morning. He was tired and hungry, but pleased all the same. He looked at the pieces of paper in his hands and grinned. He glanced at his sleeping roommate. He looked so peaceful; hair strewn over his narrow face, large eyes hidden behind eyelids. Rikuou let a fond smile grace his lips. It was rare for him to do so, but certain sights or occasions called for the 'out-of-character' reaction.
The black-haired teen went over to his bed, dug around underneath and pulled out an old box. He slipped the small pieces of paper into it, pushed it back under and stood up. He debated between slipping under the covers and making something quick to eat, when his stomach gave a low grumble.
"I left some food for you on the counter."
Rikuou gave a start, but whipped around quickly with a smirk, to hide his shock. "Well, well, well, look who's up."
Kazahaya gave him a bleary-eyed frown, which made Rikuou's smirk widen. Then the corners of his mouth fell and his eyebrows shot up, "Did you say that you made dinner and left me some?"
"Of course." Kazahaya said and promptly turned over, going back to sleep.
Rikuou was left to stare at his roommate's back in wonder. That was thoughtful of him.
-o-o-o-o-o-
The next day Kazahaya was not given any chances to corner his co-worker in order to ask him where he had been yesterday. Rikuou had gotten up early as usual, made breakfast, woken Kazahaya (rather gently, by pulling Kazahaya's pillow out from under his head), and gone to work early.
Kakei had worked the two hard, so there had been no time for idle chatter. They hadn't even gotten their lunch breaks at the same time!
Kazahaya finally thought that he had gotten his chance at bombarding Rikuou with questions, when it was closing time. But, alas, no such luck...
"Kazahaya-kun, would you come to the office, please?" Kakei called from the door of the back room.
Almond-coloured eyes looked up from the floor, "Uh," he cast his co-worker a quick sideways look, but the other boy's back was turned towards him, "Should I finish sweeping first..?"
Kakei waved his hand, dismissively, "No, no, there's no need! After all, you did all the cleaning yesterday, so Rikuou can take care of it today." Then he turned sideways in the doorway, "Come along."
The slighter teen glanced at the other, but, once again, his look was ignored.
Once in the office, Kakei motioned for the boy to sit down on the sofa. Surprisingly, Saiga wasn't in the room. Kazahaya figured he was out again, as usual, looking for clues about Tsukiko.
"Now," Kakei sat down on the other side of the coffee table, "I have a letter that I want you to deliver."
"A letter?" This sounded too simple... Would he get paid?
As if reading his thoughts, Kakei grinned, "I won't pay you much, as it is just a simple delivery, but you'll get a bit extra – for working overtime."
"I'll do it!"
Kakei's grin seemed to turn more evil.
-o-o-o-
A small 'thuck' was heard as a letter hit a stack of others at the bottom of a letterbox.
Kazahaya stared at the container for a full two minutes, before shrugging and heading back home. Maybe it really was nothing more than a simple delivery... Though the blond teen had a bad feeling about this. There was a small voice in the back of his head (that sounded suspiciously like Rikuou's) that kept telling him to be on his guard; that something would jump out at him soon. He turned a corner.
Nohting.
Then crossed a road when the lights were green.
Still nothing.
He turned another corner.
Nada.
He kept walking past alleyways and jumping at the slightest sounds.
Yet nothing jumped out of dumpsters or from behind parked cars.
He was nearing home. He picked up his pace, eyes darting in every direction.
He was almost home.
He was almost running.
Toc, toc, toc, toc, toc. Up the stairs.
Kazahaya burst through the front door, slamming it behind him and leaning against it, completely out of breath.
Large, honey-coloured eyes lifted to meet bewildered green.
Rikuou blinked a few times at the sight of his partner, panting as if he'd just run a mile. "Wha-," He paused; that did not seem like the right question. "Why...?" That was more like it, but he didn't know what to ask: why the panting? Why the running? Why the near-panic from a simple letter drop-off? Kakei had promised not to stall the small teen too much and not to, under any circumstance, let said teen get hurt. Had he run into something that even Kakei had not foreseen?
Kazahaya didn't let Rikuou settle on any of these questions. He just shook his head and announced that he needed a shower.
"Sure," Rikuou's throat felt dry. "Dinner will be ready once you get out."
A nod, "Thanks." And the teen made his way to the bathroom, leaving Rikuou with his jumbled thoughts. Then he shook his head, apparently Kazahaya was unhurt, so he should forget about the whole thing and get back to cooking. He had spent too many days planning this to perfection to let something like this mess it up. Maybe Kazahaya had just wanted to run; the boy had said that he liked to run...
-o-o-o-
Kazahaya walked out of the bathroom, drying his hair with the towel. It had been stupid of him to be afraid. Rikuou was the untrusting one and it had apparently rubbed off on Kazahaya. Silly, really, to be worried about delivering a letter to a mailbox. What had he been thinking? He almost laughed out loud, until he saw the dinner that Rikuou had prepared.
The taller teen had apparently put a tonne of effort into the meal and it showed and smelled amazing. The plates looked like carefully crafted artwork and there was a single candle sitting between the two plates.
"Like it?" Kazahaya heard the smirk in the question that came from behind him, but was too stunned to reply with anything other than a nod. "Take a seat, then." Rikuou's breath touched his ear, but the lighter teen could not bring himself to ruin the mood by flailing around and yelling, so he just quietly sat down on the carpet.
Rikuou sat down opposite him and propped a plain white, thin envelope against the candle, facing Kazahaya. Honey-coloured eyes flicked to it, then back to dark green, waiting for a hint as to what purpose the envelope served. The darker teen just smirked and then lowered his gaze to his food, picking up his chopsticks.
"Eat before it gets cold."
The comment brought Kazahaya out of his stupor and he clapped his hands together, "Itadakimasu!" He then took up his own chopsticks and took in the smell of the food, "This looks amazing!"
The two finished their meals in silence and Rikuou cleared up the plates. This left Kazahaya with the mysterious envelope.
"Why the whole setup?" Kazahaya asked, tilting his head to the side adorably.
Rikuou shrugged. "Just wanted to do something nice for you for a change."
Kazahaya's eyes narrowed in suspicion, "Why?"
Rikuou sat down again and swept the envelope from its place at the candle's base. "Because I don't hate you." He extended the sealed stationary item towards his roommate. "Open it."
Kazahaya took the envelope from Rikuou and turned it over. He slid one of his long, thin fingers under the flap and cast a quick look at the other teen. Rikuou's face was passive and devoid of any emotion.
The envelope was open.
Kazahaya stared.
And stared.
And continued to stare.
Rikuou was a getting a bit nervous at this stage... Did he not like it? Did he not get it? What was wrong?
Then Kazahaya's eyes met Rikuou's. "Seriously?" His voice was quiet, like he was afraid that the reality of what was in his hands would break if he spoke louder.
Rikuou let out a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding and smiled, "Yes, seriously."
Rikuou wasn't exactly sure what happened next. It was like an bomb had gone off in their small kitchen and he felt a pair of arms around his neck, almost strangling him. That proximity allowed him to make sense of the constant stream of words coming from his smaller counterpart's mouth.
"Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!"
Rikuou smiled. Yep, One Direction concert tickets had definitely been worth all the money and effort and owing Kakei a favour.
-o-o-o-o-o-