Asakiku: AU where Kiku is an exchange student and Arthur is Arthur. In those few moments that Arthur did speak to the beautiful boy, he somehow managed to fall in love, get his heart broken, and fall in love all over again.
Alfred was the one who brought them together. The loud blond had not spared the chance to show off his cool new charge to his group of equally loud friends in what he thought was the coolest way possible: by shouting excitedly and telling everyone to gather round the young Asian beauty. Honda Kiku, his name was. He had stood silently, his face like a porcelain mask as the others gawked and whispered. No expression flickered across his face, showing nothing of how he felt even when Alfred threw his arms protectively around his frail shoulders. "Don't crowd too much," he complained, "give him some breathing space!" And Arthur had not resisted the urge to roll his eyes and mutter, "You were the one drawing all the unnecessary attention to him, you git." Ignoring him, Alfred had laughed. "Kiku is going to be my friend from now on! If you guys ever need to talk to him, let me know! Only I can speak to him!" It was only for a second, but Arthur saw the flash of fear that appeared in Kiku's liquid amber eyes before he turned his face back into that neatly concealed mask again. It was oddly endearing…and showed the boy was a human after all. He remembers laughing and feeling just the slightest bit sympathetic for the poor boy.
The first few weeks, Alfred was all over Kiku; he never let the shorter boy out of his sight, was always affectionate, and dictated who was able to try and interact with him. Honestly, it was driving him mad. Arthur took a slight sip of his juice, trying to remain focus on whatever was outside his window instead of directing his at the troublesome duo just a few feet away. Alfred continued to speak at a rate of about 100 words a minute like he always did in that loud obnoxious tone, like he was accustomed to. It was irritating. And then it was silent. The classroom was suddenly quiet, which could only mean that Alfred had left the room, with Kiku in tow no less. But he was still there. Perfectly still, like he was waiting for something. Arthur could not help but stare once he started to move and walked right into the class closet. His movements wasted no energy, was as smooth and languid as water even if his destination was rather unexpected. It all made sense though as Alfred burst back into the classroom, panting and wide-eyed. "I've lost Kiku! He was by my side, I swear, but then I went to the bathroom and told him to wait for me and then I turned around and he wasn't there and-!" "He came back to get his jacket. He's probably looking for you in a bathroom stall right now," Arthur lied smoothly, even though his gaze never drifted from the closed closet door. In his haste, Alfred didn't notice and ran off shouting like crazy, leaving Arthur alone with the closed closet door. It swung open with no resistance and the sight inside…the furrowed brows and the pink dusted cheeks that greeted him were a rather cute surprise. His eyes couldn't help but take in the sight of those slightly annoyed pink lips and the way his eyes gleamed, like they were all liquid. It was beautiful. So much more than those other times he was so composed and statue like. Arthur opened his mouth to say something, but soft hands found their way to his lips, covering them before he had a chance to. Kiku might've said something, but all he could see were wet eyes and the slight smell of shampoo and incense was invading all his senses and he couldn't hear over the sudden loud beating of his heart. The push was not strong and unexpected, but regardless, he was out of the closet and the door slammed in his face, preventing him from seeing anymore. He couldn't move; his lips were tingling and his heart refused to quiet down. Silent sobs and inaudible whispers filled the room.
He looked as composed as ever the next day. Had he not been there yesterday, Arthur would've never guessed that the boy had been crying so hard yesterday. Alfred seemed to notice it though, for his eyes kept staying on Kiku for just a second too long and he was never further than a couple of inches despite always wanting to be first whenever they ran for gym. Kiku ignored both of their gazes, just running as though it was his calling in life. A few times though, Kiku would turn his head just slightly and their eyes would connect, sending a small electric shock down Arthur's spine.
Every time he got close and tried to say something though, Kiku always turned his head or Alfred would miraculously appear and place his arms around him possessively. Words don't work unless there is someone to receive them, after all. Arthur scowled, but his gaze never left Kiku's back. "Why are you making me like this?" he wanted to shout at him, "Why can't I get you out of my mind?" Silence seemed like the only language between them.
Arthur began to guard the class closet. It began to be a sort of ritual between the two, where Kiku entered the closet and Arthur stood guard. No words were spoken and the door always remained closed. Still, Arthur guarded. And then he waited. Sometimes Kiku would cry. Sometimes there was just silence. He never opened the door on his own though. He couldn't. But he could wait until that final moment when Kiku opened the door and looked at him with indistinguishable feelings in his liquid amber eyes before he left.
It was Kiku who made the first move. He never broke the silence, but he was closer. Arthur could feel it. His face was still that unmoving mask, but he was closer to him and drifting further and further from Alfred's side. It made his heart drum unstopping in his ears. Arthur finally began to feel Kiku's gaze on his own back, despite not knowing the reason why. It could have been hatred, it could have been disgust. It didn't matter. All that matter was that Kiku was looking at him. Arthur smiled and he could see the slightest twitch in Kiku's brows. "Spring is coming soon," he said aloud to no one in particular. Francis called him stupid for stating the obvious and Alfred stopped just for a second while he ate his burger to steal a peek at Kiku before turning back to his task more rigorously than before. He seemed to be eating more than usual lately.
It was his secret space. On the campus where there was no freedom and no space to breathe, Arthur loved this one spot that was hidden from the others. Why he led Kiku there, he did not understand, but his heart did not stop drumming the whole time. The rustling of the trees and the faint drop of petals falling on the ground was the only exchange between them. It was enough. They did not need to talk, to fill the space with words that would only show how scared and insecure they both were. The silence, the way their arms would brush by one another accidently from time to time…it was enough. But when Kiku brought his arm out to touch the trunk of the old flowering willow tree, Arthur could feel his heart soar and words rushed to his lips before he could stop it. "Beautiful, isn't it?" he murmured breathlessly at the sight before him. Kiku looked at him with those eyes that were burning liquid and his heart flooded his ears. "You're beautiful," the words escaped and for a moment, time froze. His heart was the only thing that he could feel, could hear. But then Kiku gazed down demurely, his long eyelashes framing his beautiful eyes as his cheeks burned that rosy shade of pink, his lips twitching up just the slightest and the spell was broken. Arthur could feel his heart swell as that one emotion flickered in his heart again, burning so strong he was unable to breathe. He didn't want that moment to end.
The first blow hurt like hell. Maybe it was because it was unexpected, maybe it was because it was Alfred, he wasn't sure. Arthur did not resist the second blow or the third however. He got up, unafraid to look at the taller boy in the eye. "I'm sorry," he said simply, "I love him." Green against blue, neither of them was willing to blink, to back down from what their heart was ordering them to do. To believe. This was probably the most tense they have been since…Arthur could not help but smile halfheartedly. This was pathetic. "Who would have thought…that we would end up fighting for the same guy?" Alfred's blue sky eyes narrowed and Arthur's own jade skies fluttered close, waiting for that one solid punch. The only thing that fell was tears. Alfred's expression as he held his pain, as he was torn up inside from that one line…Arthur could feel something gnawing on his insides, making his stomach flutter with confusion. "Maybe…I had been going about the wrong way after all," Alfred laughed disbelievingly through his tears and suddenly, Arthur understood. "I'm sorry," he said again, this time a little more frantically, a little more forcefully. "I love him." His heart tore apart when Alfred just laughed and whispered, "Why couldn't it have been me?"
Instead of seeking out his hiding place like usual, Arthur found his feet leading him to that classroom closet. His heart was cloudy and confused and Alfred had been in love with him and he had not known. Guilt and just the tiniest bit of regret cut him inside as he touched the knob of the plain closet door, but once he entered, suddenly everything was too loud. His heart was aching as his head berated him for being so blind, so stupid while his stomach just wanted to throw up. He could not see anything, hearing only himself and feeling only himself in that loneliness that overflowed from his eyes. The sobs that came from his own throat were not his own, and he could feel that sinking drowning feeling settle in his gut in that pitch dark room. He was alone without Alfred. No…the door that opened and the quiet concerned face that appeared was not Alfred. It was burning liquid amber framed by soft ivory. It was panting soft breathes and flushed cheeks that resembled blossoms during spring. It was Kiku. Kiku with pink petal lips and soft fragrant skin that was so gentle as they brushed away the tears from jaded eyes. It could only be Kiku; only Kiku could open that closet door. Arthur sighed as he melted against the smaller form. Kiku. Kiku. Kiku.
Alfred was the one who brought the news that Kiku was leaving. "The program is ending soon," he explained patiently to his friends, though his eyes stayed only on Arthur. "He's already started packing." Arthur knew. He knew that they would not be able to stay together for long. He just didn't know that it would be so soon. Eyes glazed, he found himself in front of a closed closet door before he even knew it. All those times he had stood in front of this door with feelings of security and patience, now all he could feel was fear and sadness. His heart was a mess. With all the courage he could muster, he opened it. Soft fragrant hands were waiting and gently, they pulled him in. For a while, they just looked, their eyes transfixed on taking in the other's form, memorizing the little details that were soon going to disappear and locking them into the back of their hearts. But it wasn't enough. Arthur pulled him close, trying to melt their bodies together, to stop the goodbye that was inevitable. It wasn't long before their lips touched, just ever so slightly but enough to send a shudder down Arthur's spine and cause his lips to tingle like crazy. His heart was blossoming as it absorbed the sweet taste that was purely Kiku. It was everything they could never say, could never express enough in words. It was magic, and was going to end soon. Painfully, Arthur pulled away before he could get more intoxicated, and just looked at Kiku. At the face that was so painfully human and no longer like that beautifully crafted mask. He loved it. He loved him. But he couldn't say it. Not in a situation like that. Still, Kiku just smiled. "Thank you…" he whispered with that beautiful heart wrenching smile. "Thank you for loving me."
Of all the times they had spent together, Arthur had only conversed with said boy twice. Arthur sighed as he glared down at his innocent desk. Where had he gone wrong? What would prompt Kiku to say such a sad line? He regretted it. Not being able to say he loved him. Not being able to say anything. Words. They were powerful and Arthur had failed to used them because he was too scared. Because he was too prideful. Those words sounded so simple, yet they were so hard to use. They were the most important ones, yet he had failed to express them. Arthur bit his lip before he pulled out his cellphone, scrolling down his list of contacts until he found the one he was looking for. "Hello? This is Honda Kiku," came the soft voice from the other line. Heart fluttering and palm sweating, Arthur composed himself, trying not to smile as love flooded his entire body once again. "Hi. It's me, Arthur." He wouldn't let such beautiful words go unsaid in the future. He promised.