Title: To Foster
Author: Takebuo Ishimatsu
Pairing(s): pre-Tamaki/Kaoru
Summary: In a fit of boredom, Kaoru decides to hang out with Tamaki for a little bit while his brother is with Haruhi. And then things progress into something he'd never have imagined. Pre-yaoi. Written for arizonaicerose for Help_Pakistan. 1st in a 3-part series.
Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran.
AN: As stated in the summary, this fic was written for arizonaicerose, who won my offer in the first round of Help_Pakistan. The request was for a Tamaki/Kaoru fic, at least 1000 words, with no other real specifics. I immediately came up with three separate ideas & decided to go with all of them, thus making a 3-part series.
Warning about rating: This story is rated low, but it is part of a series. I'm giving you a head's up that the third part of the trilogy will be NC-17
By the way, about your strategy for yesterday's date, did you ever consider the possibility that it might have gone too well, and fostered feelings of love?
It's still too soon for that. Hikaru is a dummy, and all.
Boy had he ever called that one wrong.
Kaoru sighed in annoyance, eyes scanning the room for the hundredth time in the past half-hour. Unsurprisingly, nothing much had changed. Honey and Usa-chan were still having a nice little tea party at the table while Mori watched on in devoted silence. Kyoya was still maniacally calculating ways to make more money off of the club members, with or without their permission. Tamaki was still wallowing in his self-made Corner of Doom and Despair. And, Hikaru and Haruhi...well, they were still in love and he doubted that was going to change any time soon.
He sighed again.
Not that he was necessarily complaining about their relationship or anything. He'd wanted Hikaru to expand his world, right? And expanding it to include the only person they'd ever met who could tell them apart wasn't all that bad. Even their mother couldn't tell where Hikaru ended and Kaoru began, instead choosing to see them as one entity. (Though, to be honest, she really wasn't there all that often, so it wasn't that much of a surprise.)
So, yes, he was happy for his brother and, though he knew a single implied thought, one whispered word, could tear the couple apart for good, he wouldn't do anything to take away the second love of his life. (His big brother still insisted everyday he was his first, something which Haruhi took with a graceful roll of her eyes.)
Unfortunately, while they may have thought life was boring before, it was nothing compared to Kaoru's days as of late. He really didn't want to disturb his brother, but he didn't think he'd last much longer staring off into the distance or (his personal favorite) pretending to actually care what the two of them were talking about when Hikaru dragged him into his conversations. He needed something to do before he snapped and his relationship with Haruhi started resembling the one Hikaru had with Asai.
He observed the others in the room, trying to pick his best target for bothering. Hmm...Kyoya was "nice," in his own Kyoya-way (and it wasn't as if he and his brother were angels, so he couldn't really judge) but obviously busy. Too bad, he'd thought they'd really hit it off as of late. Honey was cute, but too sickeningly sweet to be with for long. By default, that meant he also couldn't hang out with Mori and so that only left...
Mr. I'm-Going-To-Slit-My-Wrists-On-A-Piano-Key, who was (unsurprisingly) still brooding in the corner. Well, he supposed beggars couldn't be choosers and so Kaoru started over towards "his lord."
"Ah, hey, do you want to go do something for a little bit?" he asked awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head.
Tamaki's angst-angst-emo aura grew in intensity, but he didn't otherwise reply. Kaoru rolled his eyes; he'd take that for a yes. He grabbed a hold of the other and dragged him out the door and down the hall, all while the blond wailed something or other about needing to stay and protect his daughter's virtue.
"Kaoru! We can't just leave them alone! What if that fiend steals poor Haruhi's innocence? She needs her daddy!"
In truth, Kaoru was more apt to believe the cynical girl would steal Hikaru's innocence, but he opted to say instead, "With the others there? At the very least, Kyoya would stop them for the sake of protecting Haruhi's gender and thus his money, idiot."
"But, but-"
"No buts, my lord! We're going out to do something right now! Maybe it will take your mind off things."
That seemed to brighten the other up a little, or at least made it so that the redhead didn't have to keep pulling him down the hall on his butt, which was close enough to "brighten" for him. Tamaki might not weigh much, but Kaoru sure didn't have any muscles.
Once outside the school, he turned to look at his companion uncertainly. While their twin ESP might make most decisions their decisions, whenever a choice was to be made it was usually the "seme" twin that decided what to do. Kaoru was at a loss as to what his next step was suppose to be.
"Now what?"
If Tamaki had been Kyoya, he'd probably have gotten a half-amused, half-annoyed eyebrow at that, but the blond took it in stride and put his hand to his chin in a regal look of concentration.
"Hmm...Oh! How about we go to Hokkaido? Though, maybe we should invite Mother to come along. He never did get to go that one time, and I know he was really looking forward to sight-seeing. But, alas, what was a poor student like myself to do? I had to study!" Tamaki proclaimed with a hand placed against his distressed brow.
Contemplating the tale's two main characters, Kaoru seriously doubted it was Kyoya who'd been itching to "sight-see" anything. And so he answered carefully, "Nah, Kyoya's busy being manipulating and evil, we should just go by ourselves."
Tamaki blinked slowly and he seemed to be verifying his claims mentally, before he nodded.
"I suppose you're right. Nontheless, maybe I should go with him some other time; he did seem so disappointed."
"Yeah, that sounds like a plan. Actually, why don't you make sure I'm there when you ask him?" Kaoru didn't bother hiding his wicked smile, knowing the idiot wouldn't think anything of it. He just had to hear Kyoya's side of the story.
He picked up his phone to call for transportation (Tamaki was hardly the only one in the club with his own private helicopters and jets) when the blond suddenly stuck out his hand.
"Wait, I have a better idea! Let's go to Karuizawa again!"
"I don't know..."
"Actually, that reminds me, ice cream sounds good. Do you want some ice cream? Let's go get ice cream instead!"
Kaoru just stared at him, wondering how he'd gotten ice cream from Karuizawa, or even Karuizawa from Hokkaido. He suddenly had a whole new appreciation for Kyoya, and he maybe thought he understood why the blond's best friend was peeved over half the time.
"Sure," he said with a shrug. He was just with the other to prevent boredom, so it wasn't as if he had any true preference to what they did. Really, he was hanging out with Tamaki after all.
"Wonderful! And maybe Daddy could bring back some for his precious Haruhi! Wouldn't that be nice?"
"Uh..."
"Of course it would! Great idea!"
Kaoru didn't quite know how to respond when Tamaki grabbed him in a far too enthusiastic bear-hug, so he just didn't. He let Tamaki take hold of his hand and start pulling him down the street, though he did frown a little bit. The other was such a spazz.
"Shouldn't we call for a ride?" he asked, not really in the mood to be wandering around the city on foot.
"Nonsense! The sun is a beautiful maiden, waiting to be escorted by her handsome prince on the date of her dreams!"
Tamaki threw out his hands in a flourish to go with his grand words, spinning himself around a few times. Kaoru rolled his eyes and tried not to stick his tongue out at the three girls standing nearby that were now whispering about how "poetic" he was and making plans to visit the club the very next day.
He smirked suddenly.
"Well then, Mr. Prince, you can take the lovely sun out on a date if you wish, I won't stop you. It's just...well, be careful," he said ominously. Tamaki blinked at him in confusion.
"Be careful of what, Kaoru?"
The redhead looked around as if checking for listeners before leaning over and whispering to the other, "You know, the rapists and murderers, of course."
Tamaki gave him a shaky smile, "What? You're just a worry wart!"
"Sure, sure, my lord. Though, I could have sworn I saw that guy over there standing outside the school earlier," he got an evil look on his face before continuing, "Admiring you."
The blond's eyes snapped over to an older man who was currently clipping the hedges around the school. As luck would have it, just at that moment, he looked up and eyed Tamaki, who was staring at him. Kaoru turned away, a hand over his mouth, when the other paled and went stiff as a board under the gaze.
He knew he should leave it at that, but... "Hmm, looks like he can't keep his eyes off you. He must like the young blond boys? He hasn't even glanced at me. You know, I suppose you're right, it would be nice to walk-"
"Kaoru! Hurry! Call for a car before he pounces!" Tamaki launched himself at the other and almost managed to knock the redhead down in his fervor to get away from the "evil pervert."
Kaoru did wonder if he'd maybe gone too far when the other began murmuring things in French, but shrugged it off. The guy had accidentally taken a Greek test and ended up believing he was forever cursed by a stupid cat doll. He was bound to snap sometime.
Besides, he reasoned with himself, it was actually good to keep the other aware of his surroundings. Without the two-man army that was Honey and Mori, they were sitting ducks for potential kidnappers. (Though, more likely for ransom reasons than to rape and murder them...he hoped.)
Once the twin's black limousine pulled up, Tamaki raced to it and hopped in, not even waiting for the driver to open the door. Kaoru just barely had enough time to glance in the direction of the school's gardener before he was yanked in by the front of his shirt. Loosing his balance under the strength of the movement, he fell rather gracelessly into the blond's lap, his nose pressed against the other's crotch.
Time seemed to stop for a moment as they both froze, before they regained their wits and shot apart as quickly as possible, identical blushes forming on their faces. Kaoru pointedly ignored the raised eyebrow the driver gave him in the rear-view mirror; it was probably caused more by the fact that the other in the car wasn't a look-a-like rather than their accidental situation. After all, Hikaru and he did worse things every day just to get a rise out of the help.
Tamaki popped up and looked out the back and Kaoru knew he was trying to see if the man was still watching him. Guessing by the way the other suddenly shot down in his seat to the point that even his hair couldn't be seen over the top, he was going to say yes. He wondered if the blond would even understand if he told him that people stared at him because he was the weirdest of the group. And, considering the antics he and his brother got up to, that was certainly saying something.
"Kaoru," Tamaki whispered, as if the "pervert" could hear him otherwise.
"Hmm?"
"Forget ice cream, let's go somewhere more...enclosed."
Kaoru contemplated telling the other that just as many children disappeared from malls as they did from parks, but felt that might be pushing it. As much fun as he was having tormenting the other, it wouldn't do to have his toy decide it was safer at home.
Hmm, home. Now that was an idea.
"Hey, how about we go to my house? You've never been there, right?"
TAMAKI KAORU KAORU TAMAKI TAMAKI KAORU KAORU TAMAKI
"Well, come on in," Kaoru said with a shrug, starting towards the large doors.
Tamaki's gaze was searching out the area, as if he'd never before had the audacity to show up outside their house first thing in the morning and shout out which twin he thought was which. Though, the redhead did imagine it had more to do with potential rapists lurking in the bushes rather than any sort of admiration for the entryway, made of expensive sivec white marble that his mother had had imported from Germany.
The twin maids froze on their way to offer their customary help, their eyes going from Kaoru to Tamaki and then Tamaki to Kaoru. It was too bad his brother wasn't there to see their identical minds shutting down, no doubt saving energy for the impending apocalypse.
"Where is Hikaru?" they asked at the same time, giving Tamaki a dirty look as if he'd eaten him or something.
Kaoru resisted the urge to roll his eyes. It was the third time in as many weeks that he'd caused a ruckus simply by being an individual, and he doubted it was going to be the last. It was just plain stupid. Even though they'd been practically inseparable since birth, that didn't mean people had to freak out just because the two weren't together for once. They acted as if hell had just frozen over and they were the first ones out on the ice-skating rink.
Well, ok, it probably had frozen over, but that was all Hikaru's fault for not even noticing when he'd left with the blond. It wasn't as if Kaoru had planned to return home "alone" for the first time in years.
"I am Hikaru," he answered dully, pushing past the two girls. He felt more than heard Tamaki following close behind, no doubt frightened by the semi-creepy twin maids. Not surprising, considering the pairs used to take turns annoying the guests and scaring the other children that were sometimes brought along.
"Where is Kaoru?" two identical voices called out. Kaoru ignored them.
Yeah, they used to mess around, until he and his brother had realized not even they could tell the difference between them. Really, Hikaru was lucky to have someone like Haruhi.
"Why did you lie to them?" Tamaki asked softly and Kaoru turned to observe the confused tilt of his head.
"Habit," he said with a shrug. He was hardly about to tell Tamaki that he'd just had a fit of melancholy due to him realizing just then how lonely he was now that Hikaru had managed to snag the girl that always won the game.
If Haruhi was there to tell which of them was Hikaru, who was there to tell which of them was Kaoru?
"Oooo...look at all these!"
Kaoru was torn away from his moodiness in time to swing around and see Tamaki disappearing into one of his mother's many clothing rooms.
"Hey, don't just wander around without permission!" he called out, though the blond was already inside. He supposed he should have seen this coming.
Opening the door, he saw the other flipping through one of the many racks of clothing that made up the entire room. It was really just a big storage area for all of his mother's designs that had been made into actual product. Thank goodness she was never home; he hardly wanted to see the blond flirting with her, as he did with every "maiden" he came across.
"Let's play together!" Tamaki said excitedly, holding up what looked to be a futuristic bondage outfit. Kaoru blushed.
"Um...I don't think that outfit's appropriate..." he trailed off, seeing as Tamaki had already taken off his jacket and shirt and was then trying to figure out how to put the other thing on.
"Do I have to take off my pants too? It looks kind of tight," he was mumbling to himself before he held it up for the redhead to see, "Kaoru, help me put this on!"
Kaoru turned redder, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.
"Um..."
TAMAKI KAORU KAORU TAMAKI TAMAKI KAORU KAORU TAMAKI
"Oh, but Sir Gertrude! I couldn't possibly eat that cake!"
"But you must Lady Devon! It will save the v-vill-" Kaoru couldn't continue, his laughter filling the room as he was bent over, clutching his sides.
The redhead caught the happy smile that graced Tamaki's face before the blond turned and began rummaging through the various costume racks again. He smiled in return, truthfully amazed that he could possibly be having so much fun with Tamaki, of all people.
And not wicked fun, such as the the numerous times he and Hikaru had told the ditzy boy that there was an evil curse symbol in his rice or that Godzilla really did attack Tokyo every night but aliens fixed it by morning. Or that Mother had a secret love-child tucked away, curtsey of his ever-lasting devotion to his calculator. (Kaoru had personally always wondered at that last one if anyone could be that gullible, or if their lord was just playing along. Well, considering how he'd spent a week looking for teeny, Kyoya-shaped calculators...)
"Kaoru, how about the next one be about star-crossed lovers? One shall be a dentist from Omikakan, a planet of fire and magic," Tamaki started, holding up a blindingly bright red and orange dress, "and the other is a street urchin from Malish who was in line to be the next shaman but got lost in the market one day and could never find her way out!" Tamaki held up a ratty dress that looked so old it could have authentically belonged to one of Anne Boleyn's chambermaids.
Kaoru shook his head, slightly amazed at the other's creativity. At least when it wasn't directed towards completely stupid and impossible plans. (The one he'd thought up to save Usa-chan, and by extension themselves, came to mind easily.)
"Hey, but they're both dresses, does that mean both the characters are girls?" He asked, taking the "dentist" costume. No way was he wearing the nasty rag in Tamaki's other hand.
"Well, of course!" Tamaki said, holding the dress up on himself and twirling around.
Kaoru shook his head; only Tamaki could be so nonchalant about two guys pretending to be lesbians from outer space.
Still, it wasn't nearly as odd as some of the other things the blond had come up with in the time they'd been together. Even after he'd finally managed to convince Tamaki that the bondage outfit was not suitable "play" material (nevermind the fact he and Hikaru had purposefully worn similar costumes to one of his mother's fancy parties), the blond had continued to come up with ideas that were more outrageous than the last.
Though, coming from Tamaki, the ideas didn't seem as odd as they should have.
"Kaoruuuuuuuuuuuuuu!"
The redhead's eyes widened as a familiar body flung itself at him, making him loose his balance and fall backwards into one of the piles of clothing that were littering the floor. Hmph. A bit over-dramatic much?
"Hikaru, what-" he started with an amused smile.
"Why didn't you answer your phone! I thought something horrible had happened to you! I called sixty-six and a half times! SEE!" A blue phone was thrust into his face, showing row upon row of "Baby Bro" in the dialed section. Kaoru wouldn't be surprised to find all of his cell's internal memory taken up by messages left with each of those attempts.
...How did one call "a half" of a time?
"Sorry, Hika, I must have accidentally left it on silent after school."
Hikaru's worried face turned into one of annoyed anger. "Well, why didn't you call me? It's been hours."
Kaoru blinked, shifting his focus to the tiny clock on his brother's phone. Shit. It really was late. Where had all the time gone?
"I thought someone had kidnapped you or something," Hikaru whispered, resting his head on Kaoru's shoulder.
Feeling a bit shocked, the other redhead moved his arms out from under his twin to wrap them around the older male. However, even as he comforted the other, his attention wasn't on the task. Instead, his eyes hadn't left the surprised blue ones across the room, Tamaki standing uncertainly with his dress still held up over his body.
In truth, he wasn't really certain of how to respond to the situation. How to process the magnitude of what had happened.
He'd just been out of contact with his brother for what was probably the longest time in his entire life.
And he hadn't...even...noticed.
AN: Well, what do you think? I've never written an Ouran fic, so I'm hoping the characterizations, etc. are ok. With Ouran, I've come to realize, it's almost OOC to have them act normally, so please let me know if they seem all right.
The actual Tam/Kao will be in the next part since one of the original fic ideas I had was to have them first realizing that they could enjoy each other's company. (Well, more Kaoru realizing since I think Tamaki enjoys most people's company whether they like him or not. ^_^)