Author: jengou
Title: Sorry versus Apology
Pairings: Kaoru/Hikaru
Spoilers: Episode 15
Disclaimer: Ouran High School Host Club was created by Hatori Bisco.
Notes: This fic takes place exactly two days before the beginning of episode 15. Dedicated to spurnd for our inspiring Hiitachiin characterisation chats and elict because I want to try to cheer her up. Hope you feel better dear

First morning of summer vacation was hot and sticky. They had forgotten to draw the curtains last night, and the sun was streaming through, invading all that eyes could see.

Hikaru groaned at the piercing sun on his eyelids, winced, and pulled a pillow over his face. The pillow, coupled with Kaoru's heavy arm slung over his chest, made it difficult to breathe. Hikaru threw the pillow away and rolled over, dislodging Kaoru's arm, waking him up.

"Mmm. Hikaru. Stop fidgeting..."

Groan turned into whine. "I caaan't. It's too bright, too warm and stuffy."

"You'd cool down, if only you'd lie still." Kaoru scooted over to Hikaru, nuzzled his head under his twin's chin, took a deep breath and exhaled airily. "Mm. You smell of salt. But nice."

Hikaru opened his eyes blearily to reply, but was visually assaulted by Kaoru's hair. Kaoru's flaming thick red hair, prickling his face, his neck. He closed his eyes in defense immediately, but the red hair had imprinted on his retinas, danced hotly across his eyes. Kaoru's exhalations were humid air currents on Hikaru's neck, and clammy sweat was forming where their legs twined.

It was too much. He pushed Kaoru away, kicked legs and tangled blanket away from him.

"Mou, Kaoru. It's too hot to look at your hair. It's too hot to sleep so close."

And Hikaru rolled over to his side of the bed, back facing Kaoru, and tried to touch as little of anything as possible. Kaoru, in turn, curled up on his side of the bed, drawing the blankets up to his chin.

They slept well into the afternoon, by which the sun had dimmed behind the clouds. Kaoru rolled over and tentatively spooned up to Hikaru, laid an arm on his brother's hip. Hikaru let him, and Kaoru breathed an unintrusive sigh of relief. At length, Hikaru even awkwardly put a hand on top of Kaoru's, fingers curling around the edges.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

Kaoru forced a smile, pressed his up-turned lips to the base of Hikaru's nape. "Shh. It's ok."

Hikaru, glad to be forgiven, drifted back to an easy cat nap. Kaoru thought, the times between Hikaru knowingly hurting Kaoru's feelings and apologizing afterwards are becoming longer and longer. "But he always apologizes," Kaoru thought. "That's all that matters," and let his mind wander.

Third morning of summer vacation was interrupted by Tamaki's phonecall.

Kaoru was the type to remember everything. He had an analytical mind, one which observed, categorized, made the linkages to past events that gave current events their meaning.

That morning, he felt the teeter-totterings of Hikaru's body underneath his arms, movements of someone who didn't expect to be clung onto (as if the two of them didn't always cling onto each other on past mornings). He saw how Hikaru's eyes flew open at the news of Haruhi potentially gone missing (as if it didn't normally take at least a shower and then breakfast before those eyes unstuck from sleep). He heard how Hikaru said in flippant tones, "So Haruhi's in Karuizawa, apparently" and then (as if about something totally unrelated) "Our days just aren't fun without our toy around...".

Kaoru couldn't help noticing, remembering, that this time, even though Hikaru had looked away guiltily as he hurt Kaoru, there was no apology.