Feeling the car shift gears as Hikaru shut the car door and left them, the leftover occupants were harboring mixed feelings of dread and surprise. Unsure just how much of this event Hikaru had planned, Kyoya turned his attention toward a horrified looking Kaoru, who presently was cradling his head in his hands.

Well, he's beginning to appear sober... Clearly this part of the night was not Kaoru's doing.

He was starting to feel sorry for his friend, who until a few hours ago Kyoya would not have believed able to be found within such a place. The club screamed of degrading falsehoods; an establishment created out of mock sensuality as needy and greedy people stole away to think only of themselves. Ironically, Kyoya thought, the customers of such a club were no doubt unsure of what it was they might truly want.

"Kaoru... What were you doing out here, tonight? Or any other night, for that matter?"

Having no legitimate answer, he offered nothing outside of a barely visible shrug.

"I see. Well. Did you stop to think what might happen if someone from Ouran recognized you?"

"What would it matter? I'm the son of an international fashion designer. This sort of thing is expected of me, right?"

"If whoring yourself out as the tacky and classless spawn of wealth is how you'd like to be perceived, then by all means. I should point out, however, that you're not only representing yourself, but the entirety of the host club in any sloppy decisions you make."

"I'm sorry, Kyoya-Senpai. I can assure you it won't happen again."

Frustrated, Kyoya could taste the bitterness and hurt in his voice. Sighing, he rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"No, Kaoru, it won't. And I apologize for the sting behind my words. It's simply the notion of finding you back there when the whole outfit is entirely unbecoming on you. Since when are you one to deaden yourself and allow some random girl to make herself at home in your lap?"

"I can't really say, Senpai."

"You know, Kaoru, I was able to hear everything you and Hikaru said out there."

For the second time that night, the mortification he felt creeping up his face was guaranteed to match the fiery auburn of his hair.

"You heard that?"

"Of course. I've been sitting and waiting in an inextravagant town car. Sound-proof glass doesn't come standard issue."

The two of them fell into silence, which Kyoya deemed his seatmate's responsibility to break whenever he felt ready. In the mean time, he sat back against the soft leather, assessing from their surroundings where exactly Yuuto seemed to be driving them.

Moments came and went before Kaoru made any move to end the quiet. Deciding that the amount of cowardice he'd engaged in was more than enough, he turned to face Kyoya before speaking up.

"I'm sorry for grabbing you tonight, Senpai."

"Indeed. I'm willing to forget about it, though. But tell me, Kaoru. Do you really believe we live in a marriage-arranging-piece-of-shit world?"

Oh, man. He really did hear it all...

"Some days I do."

"I see. It seems such a bleak outlook for someone like you."

"And what exactly do you mean when you say, 'Someone like you,' Senpai?"

"It means precisely what you think it means. Despite the outrageous way you seem to be acting, you know exactly who you are, Kaoru. And that is someone of superior qualities of the mind and heart that is entirely worth knowing. So why you feel the need to settle for less, I don't really know. Beyond that description, however, don't expect to be showered by compliments. Not after a night like tonight."

Repositioning his glasses, he crossed his arms and turned his attention back toward the world outside the window. Thankful to recongnize that the car was moving in a direction that would see him home, at this point Kyoya could think find nothing of merit left to say.

It seemed for Kaoru that his shame grew exponentially with the passing of each noiseless minute. Had his brother and Kyoya known the truth of it all, he was something of a lightweight, and the actions of Kaoru's inebration had far more to do with him creating himself a mental atmosphere than any substance coursing through his veins. Which seemed to make tonight's fiasco all the more embarassing, in his mind.

"For what it's worth, this hasn't happened too many times."

"Is that so."

"Yeah... I know Hikaru probably made it sound like I've been stealing away night after night, which to be fair, from his perspective must be true. But I've only done this maybe four or five times."

"Be that as it may, it's four or five times too many. And what were you doing with that girl in your lap?"

"To be honest, not much of anything..."

"I see. Coming to terms with our sexuality, are we?"

Considering that Kaoru had not spoken directly to his seatmate of such matters, he had no qualms over now glaring at him icily. Kyoya raised his hand in apology, surprised not at the angry sentiment, but at the effective delivery from none other than the likes of Kaoru.

"Fair enough. That may have been uncalled for."

"I'm trying to decide whether or not I should even answer you."

"That's fine. Feel free to take your time..."

The remainder of their stint in the car was spent with either boy staring out his respective window, although one's silence was seemingly more relaxed than the other. The vehicle eventually slowed as it came to a gradual crawl while snaking its way up to the main gate of the Ohtori estate. Upon noticing their close proximity to his home, Kyoya resituated himself to face his friend.

"You know, Kaoru. Yours and Hikaru's brotherly love act has always paid off well for the host club. If it's as Hikaru says, and you've been avoiding talking to him for some time now, then it makes both of your acting abilities all the more impressive. Admittedly, until he called tonight, I didn't even realize anything was substantially wrong."

"Just forget about it. It's as you said before. I'm just coming to terms with my sexuality."

"Of course. Good luck with that. However, I hope for your own sake and for the the sake of those you care for, that you get it through your head that even in this 'piece-of-shit world,' being openly gay isn't necessarily a hindrance to anyone willing to work hard enough to get what they want. Arranged-marriages and all be damned."

"Perhaps when working in the arts, sure, but-"

"Uedo Satsuki. She spent four decades working for Nomura Holdings, Inc, with twenty-five of those years as a top-notch investment banker, and sixteen years as the company's vice president. She's been in a relationship with the same woman for roughly fifty years. Oshiro Masao. Heir to a family-owned import-export business that found its start within the East India Trading Company. He's shared a bed with the same man for over thirty years."

How does he know all of this? More importantly, why?!

"Wow, Kyoya-Senpai."

"My point is: when have you ever allowed someone to tell you what you can and cannot have?"

At this, Kaoru simply nodded. He makes a decent point, there...

Having reached the end of his portion of the ride, Kyoya felt none too eager while reaching for the door handle. He'd be lying, however, not to admit to himself that he was glad to have gone out for the night. "Well, I've said all I have to say. Have a safe trip home, Kaoru. I'll be seeing you on Monday."

"See you, Kyoya-Senpai..."

Allowing Kaoru a curt nod, he also gave an honest smile before shutting the door. Before finally walking away, he tapped at the driver side window, and informed Yuuto that he was to ensure his charge was taken directly home.

.

.

Tossing his glasses onto the bed, he welcomed the sudden loss of visual clarity, if only for a short while. He proceeded to make his way toward the shower, which he engaged in with the lights off.

My mind... Has been put to its capacity. Shower. Write this out. Bed.

No. First I scrub at least one full layer of epidermis off...

Japanese burlesque? Why don't we suggest to America's horny and youthful elite that they might enjoy a blond-haired, blue-eyed geisha? Attrocious.

This side of Kaoru is a bit maddening. Not only selling himself short, but underestimating the capacity of others, also... I suppose I can't blame him.

Alright. No more thinking tonight.

Shutting the water off, he grabbed a towel and made even strides away from the bathroom and toward his bed. His bedroom was the one place where even near blindness could not phase him, he knew every inch so well. He threw the spectatcles back on once noticing the glow from his cell phone. Flipping open the screen, there waited a simple text from Hikaru.

"Whatever you did, Thank You."

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A second chapter! Woot! I'm kind of excited about this, as I never imagined writing this pairing before. But I'm beginning to envision it more and more... Please tell me how it was for you! Likes, dislikes? Do they seem in or out of character? Too dialogue-heavy?