The sensation of smooth, cool fingertips on bare skin made Kaoru tiptoed carefully, caressing his arms and moving to his back. Kaoru let out a small, defeated, pleasured, breath, his cares and stress leaving with it. Bliss. The fingertips were none other than Hikaru's, his twin brother, though Kaoru had always felt they were more than that. His brother's fingers began tracing a line down his spine, forcing Kaoru to arch his back.
"Hey! That tickles!"
Hikaru said nothing, but moved closer, closing his twin in a soft embrace. He pulled gently on Kaoru's cheek, moving his face downward just enough so they could lock in a stare. Hikaru then gently whispered something, eyes focused grimly on Kaoru.
"Hm?"
"This isn't real you know," Hikaru's voice repeated, slightly louder, just as serious.
Kaoru continued to stare, reality flooding back as he opened his eyes to a blaring radio alarm. His twin stood beside him, an unamused visage on display.
"I was wondering when you'd wake up. I'm getting hungry." he said flatly.
Still flustered, Kaoru frantically looked around for the time. Nearly 11, he bolted upright, wildly reaching for a shirt somewhere. Standing over him was the disgruntled Hikaru, holding out a fresh t-shirt. Kaoru looked up to grab it, only to find Hikaru, shirtless and outfitted in comfortable looking baggy jeans. Such a sight flustered Kaoru even more that he already was, images of his dream flashing by. Refrain.
"What are you waiting for? I know I'm hot but you don't gotta stare!"
"Sorry…" Kaoru mumbled in response, dressing and walking tiredly out the door.
When they moved out, the Hitachiin twins decided it would be best to live in a smaller house, as over the years they had grown to love Haruhi's commoner ways. Don't misunderstand however, "small" to the Hitachiin's is no less than a mansion. Still, they had hired no maid, which meant Kaoru did much of the work, being the more mature of the twins. This also included cooking, which Hikaru was entirely clueless about. As he arrived downstairs, he found a now room temperature cup of commoner's coffee sitting at his place at the table, as well as several bits of convenience store tuna packaging. Kaoru sighed.
"You could have woke me up you know. Or learned to cook."
"You're impossible to wake up when you're dreaming. What were you dreaming about anyway? You were rolling around quite a bit."
"It was nothing. I can barely remember any of it anyway." Kaoru avoided the eyes of his brother, focusing instead on a pan of tamagoyaki.
Ever since they graduated Kaoru had started feeling like the "brotherly love" they harboured had been fading. Still, they shared everything; the same home, the same clothes, the same interests, and even the same bed. Kaoru wasn't sure Hikaru was over Haruhi quite yet either. He always let his feelings get the best of him, finding himself desperately in love with what was already taken. He had told her his feelings before the end of the year, only to be carefully rejected. It was the first time they hadn't shared something, no wonder he took it so hard. Even then, Kaoru had been having dreams for ages, a desire for his brother, the only person who could understand him, despite knowing quite well Hikaru didn't feel the same. One day, he swore, one day, he'd tell Hikaru his feelings, and maybe he'd feel mutual. But that day was far from now. And so the dreams continued.
A sharp ringing brought Kaoru to the phone, place a plate of rolled egg on the table on the way.
"Breakfast, "
"About time," a grumpy Hikaru sat in front of plate piled with breakfast.
"Hitachiin residence," Kaoru answered tiredly.
"Noon. Ouran high-school. Be there!" The voice on the other end was immensely enthusiastic, but vague, hanging up after the five short words.
He knew exactly who was on the other end.
"Tamaki just called. He wants us to come to the high-school at noon."
"The high-school? Why?" Hikaru asked, mouth stuffed with rolled egg.
"No idea. Knowing Tamaki it could be anything. I assume he called the rest of the Host Club, so it could be a nice opportunity to catch up with our old friends."
"Do you think Haruhi will be there?" Hikaru's voice became sullen.
"Probably. As well as Honey and Mori and Kyoya," said Kaoru in effort to brush away Hikaru's sadness before it began. "Well, We should probably get ready or we'll be late."
Hikaru nodded in agreement and dropped his plate and mug in the sink, finally pulling on a shirt and belt and preparing to leave. Kaoru tried his best to quickly prepare, missing out on the shower he wanted for lack of time. The two then marched out the door in a way only twins can pull off, Hikaru taking the passenger seat and Kaoru taking the wheel.
"Hey, Kaoru?" Hikaru said softly.
"Hm?"
"Why are we even going? We haven't seen the Host Club in a few years. What gives Tamaki the right to even call us up and ask us to be somewhere an hour later? Do you think anyone will even come?"
"Not really sure to be honest, I guess it just feels right. After all, it would be nice to see the others. I thought you would've been more excited."
Hikaru stared out the window at the passing commoner's homes.
"Do you think he's treated her well?" He whispered, eyes not moving from the window.
Kaoru let out a sigh at his twin's despairing, just quiet enough to go unnoticed. At that instant, he let himself fall into emotion like his brother so often did, feeling all the hidden jealousy, anger, sadness, desire, and guilt he deeply wanted to express.
Haruhi.
