Title: Blur of Youth
Beta: Without one, at the moment *sigh*
Rating: T/PG-13 (Rating subject to change)
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Warning(s): WIP. BL. Cursing. Alcohol. Teenage issues. Ya know, first world problems. Bad Greek. Improper use of American things in a Japanese setting? Maybe OOC?
Pairings: Eventual Romantica, Terrorist, and Egoist, with background Yoh/Risako and Takahiro/Manami.
Note(s): So, this is yet again another pet project of mine. :3 Please, enjoy!
(1): When I went to translate the letters in Google, apparently I came up with Eo̱s (Εως) which means "up" in Greek? I thought it was interesting, to be honest XD
"Shinobu," Misaki quietly murmured, hands locking on his friend's arm in a desperate plea matched by the following words: "Can we please just go back to your house?"
"And just why would we do that when we just arrived?"
"Because we shouldn't be here anyway, and this is a college party, besides?"
The enormous structure of the Epsilon Omega Sigma(1) fraternity house seemed to loom over the pair of lone high school students, and Misaki couldn't help his nervous gulp at its staggeringly intimidating visage. He carefully moved a few steps back until he was standing directly behind Shinobu, sidestepping over a discarded yellow flyer being clung to by the abnormally green grass in the process. With a grunt of irritation at his friend's inability to act the part of a proper shield, Misaki stood on his tiptoes just enough to peer over the taller brunet's shoulder.
It was a simple, two-story building, just large enough to fit all the members of the obviously popular fraternity's members at a reasonable level of comfort, with the added plus of plenty room to spare. Windows lined the perimeter of the house's front, undoubtedly mirroring the amount found on each other side of the building, eclectic paints and ornaments splattering several of the ones Misaki could see. The boastful images depicted on the windows were ones denoting the many prides of Mitsuhashi University, including their technical sciences and research department, as well as the Historical Society and sports teams.
Following soon after were the walls themselves, a single shade of robust grey that struck a sharp divergence from the overall atmosphere of the building, the hints of darker tints speckled about the surface just serving as a general highlight on a busy page. Stray stragglers near the frayed edges of the lawn and walkway were chattering in their own small, respective groups, unmarked plastic cups gripped in the hands of many.
But, despite the cheery countenance of both his friend and the people currently giggling near them at the moment, a need tilted to the right of his instincts delineated Misaki's wish to flee, flee the alien unfamiliarity the college campus posed for him. He neither felt comfortable with nor wanted to continue to stand near the students of such a prestigious school, despite his hope to one day become a part of its general populace.
But even with such a thought at the front of his mind, he knew that escape wouldn't be quite so easy to partake in; even so, the call of his bedroom and sweet, solitary confinement beckoned him away from the sidewalk leading up to the door. He'd made his choice.
He took a baby step backwards and then another, trying to pull his friend away from the temptation of the party rife within. Unfortunately, Shinobu was quite strong in contrast to an otherwise lithe appearance and held steady as any rock, an unmovable mountain to Misaki's weak burst of wind. No way Misaki was going to dissuade him in that manner.
"Misaki," Shinobu sighed deeply. He swiveled about to place his hands on the shorter chocolate-haired brunet's shoulders, and shook Misaki slightly as he recounted his plans for their evening together with the longsuffering air of someone having the burden to expound on some abstract concept that should have been understood the first time around. "If you honestly believe me of the mindset that we should turn around just when we got here, you've got another thing coming. Now, my older sister invited us here for a reason, and I intend to find out. Not only that, but this is a college party, and it's about time you left your brother's house and had a little fun."
"You're only saying that because you somehow heard that track star, Miyagi Yoh, was going to be here."
"That, too," Shinobu beamed terrifically at Misaki. His grin vanished just as quickly as it had appeared as he sighed once again and rested his forehead against his friend's own, slate grey eyes meeting forest green orbs, encompassed between feathering eyelashes. "C'mon, please. For me?"
Misaki frowned at Shinobu before pushing him away.
"Don't do that."
"Do what, this?" Shinobu nuzzled Misaki's cheek gently before dancing out of reach of suddenly violent gesticulations. "You won't catch the gay from me, you know."
"That's not my concern, and you know it," Misaki narrowed his eyes, feeling slightly hurt at Shinobu's assumption. "It's nobody's business but your own if you like... guys that way. But I also know that this entire idea is nuts. And anyway, what will my older brother think if he finds that I haven't come home by half-past nine? He'll panic!"
"Relax." Shinobu stated, arms crossed in front of his chest. He bent forward slightly and faux-whispered the slyly spoken, "I told him you were staying at my house tonight."
"What if he calls your parents?" Misaki's eyes widened as he gasped out in shocked disbelief. His hands were now firmly clasped on his hips, his position argumentative in itself. "I could get in serious trouble."
"Your brother is not your parents," Shinobu said. When Misaki stilled in shock at the insensitively spoken words, Shinobu shook his head and placed his hands on Misaki's arms. "You know I didn't mean it remotely like that, Misaki. But you know that it's true. You need to live a little. Think of this as just a way to get your blood pumping and an easy smile going on your face."
"But," Misaki whined. He allowed his gaze to wander over the brunet's shoulder again, spying with his little eye a sky darkening with the promise of the coming sunset. The lights within the house were growing more distinct as a strong wind whistled quietly by, wrenching their clothing into dancing along with it. And despite how Misaki's mind shaped that exact moment into a sign that they should not, in fact, walk into the house, the sudden chill made it seem all the more inviting.
Misaki stared at the house for a long, silent moment as he rubbed at his arms' prickly goosebumps. Shinobu, next to him, seemed on the verge of rocking back and forth on his heels, in a movement uncharacteristic of the usually stoic brunet. And when Misaki nodded his head in reluctant approval, shivering at the cold that was just settling in with the dusk sweeping over the campus, Shinobu's eyes belied a familiar excitement twinkling in his mischievous gaze, betraying his frankly serious expression.
"Fine," said he, giving consent to their upcoming misadventure. Before Shinobu could start to dance a celebratory jig, however, Misaki stepped back out of reach and wagged a finger at him. "But we leave the moment we meet up with your sister. I'm not leaving you there, and neither are you leaving me. This is unknown territory, and we don't know what could happen to us otherwise.
"Now," he held out a hand. The sudden light from an overhead lamp caused the blond highlights in Shinobu's hair to glimmer a glistening gold, and Misaki nearly held his breath at the sight. Shaking himself mentally - because, no, dammit - he continued. "Let's go."
Shinobu let out a whispered word of thanks to whatever deity was watching over him before gripping Misaki's hand in his own tightly. With a promise to allow Misaki to choose whatever they would do next, he led the other teen to the front entrance.
Suddenly, the chill caught Misaki again and he wondered at the heavy, ominous weight pushing its way into his chest. With a physical shrug, he inhaled and exhaled steadily before stepping over the threshold, turning a wry smile on a female greeter at the door who reeked of perfume.
Because, really, what could possibly go wrong?