I'm Sorry, Omi
Chapter 4
Omi sighed, putting down the account report and rubbing his eyes. He had no idea how confusing Kaoru's job was. There was the accounts, budgeting, tax and VAT to keep track of - not to mention electricity, gas, heating and water bills. No wonder Kaoru was so tired. Omi smiled to himself, distracting himself with the image of his lover's beautiful face.
Around lunch, after five hours of bored frustration, Omi took some food up to Kaoru. He knocked on the door and he heard Kaoru ask who it was
"It's me, baby, can I come in?"
"Of course, Omi.." he replied, his voice odd. Omi opened the door, smiling at him. He still looked very pale but the tiredness was improved. He smiled weakly when he saw his boyfriend, putting down his book
"Hey, Kaoru. Thought you'd be hungry.." he said, going inside. He passed Kaoru the tray and sat down beside him on the bed, watching him hungrily dig into the sandwiches he'd made. "Feeling better?" Kaoru nodded, swallowing his mouthful noiselessly before replying
"Yes, much. Thanks.. How's the work? Not too much, I hope." Omi sighed
"I don't know how you stand it, it's so dull!" he cried. Kaoru smiled, Omi noticed he didn't laugh…
"It can be quite dull, I suppose…" he said. Omi looked at him admiringly, so beautiful…
"Kaoru, did something happen last night to make you so tired?" Omi asked. Kaoru shook his head
"Not really, it was just a long day… Guess I've been working too hard.." he said with a weak smile. Omi returned this and held his hand gently
"Good. Is there a meeting next week?" Kaoru nodded, looking down as he continued eating. "Did you manage to get the funding?" a shake of the pink head
"No, I need to go back to make a deal.."
"Well, try not to come back so late next week, ne?" Omi said, smiling. Kaoru smiled up at him weakly
"I'll try… Um, Omi…can I come and sit with you in the treasury? I'm lonely in here.."
"Are you sure? The sofa in there isn't very comfy.." Kaoru looked at him and Omi smiled, unable to say 'no' to those eyes. He sighed and smiled, nodding "Of course, put a sweater on and some slippers and we'll go there once you've finished your lunch, ok?" Kaoru smiled and nodded, continuing his meal.
Once Kaoru was finished and suitably dressed, they went to the treasury. Kaoru was in considerable pain from yesterday's happening but he hid it from his unknowing boyfriend. He had to tell Omi to slow down more than once, claiming his knees were stiff from sitting in bed. Omi took his lover's arm, helping him along "Do your legs hurt?" Kaoru nodded slightly
"Yes…I don't know why, I must have slept in an odd position." Omi smiled and nodded
"I'll get you some painkillers in a moment then." He said
"Thanks, Omi." He said, smiling at him. Omi smiled and they kissed briefly but softly.
They arrived at their office fairly quickly and Omi left Kaoru on the couch while he got him painkillers and a blanket. He had a sneaking suspicion Kaoru wasn't just tired, worried he was getting ill or something…
When he returned to the office, he found Kaoru staring dully out of the window, his face blank.
"K…Kaoru?" Omi asked hesitantly. Kaoru jumped and looked round with wide eyes.
"What?" he asked
"Are you really ok?" Omi asked, going to sit beside him.
"Yes…sorry, still just a little under the weather." Omi remained unconvinced he was telling the whole truth
"Did anything happen last night?" the rosette frowned
"What do you mean?"
"Well, you just seem upset…did someone treat you badly?" Yes
"No, of course not! Really, Omi, I'm fine." He said with a smile. Omi sighed and nodded, kissing him gently
"Alright, sorry." Kaoru smiled, snuggling into him. "Would you like a cup of tea?" he asked him, his arm around his bony shoulders. Kaoru smiled up at him, looking into the pretty purple eyes
"That would be wonderful." Omi grinned and kissed his forehead, standing and going over to the kettle. They always had a good stock of tea in the treasury.
"What would you like? We have…oolong, jasmine, chamomile…I think there is still some green tea in here somewhere.." Omi said, looking through the cupboard.
"Oh, I'll have jasmine please." Kaoru said. Omi smiled and nodded, having already picked up the jasmine box. He knew his queen so well. He made it quickly, exactly how Kaoru liked it, and went back to his lover, passing him the cup and saucer "Thank you.." Kaoru said softly, smiling the sweet aroma before blowing on it a taking a sip. "Mm, perfect as usual." He said, smiling at Omi.
"I'm glad, Kaoru." He said with a smile before going to sit at his computer
"Is the system still down?" Kaoru asked, relaxing into the sofa with his tea. Omi nodded, frowning in irritation as the SYSTEM UNABLE TO CONNECT message flashed up once again. He sighed and turned off the computer, switching on the back up laptop instead.
"All I can use is the school system which only connects computers within the school, no internet or anything… Still, it shouldn't be long once we get the money for repairs.." he muttered, typing in codes. Kaoru bit his lip at this, thinking about what he'd been made to do… "Kaoru, what's wrong?" he looked up to see Omi staring at him with worry
"Oh, nothing, just day dreaming-"
"You look like you're about to cry, Kaoru, please do not lie to me.." he got up and went to kneel in front of his love. Kaoru placed his tea down a sigh and took Omi's large hands in his own small ones, looking down. Omi looked at him with utmost concern and placed a hand on the pale cheek "Tell me what's troubling you." Kaoru smiled at him, tears swimming in his big green eyes
"I…I can't tell you.." he whispered, closing his eyes as tears ran down his cheeks. Omi frowned and knelt up to hug him tightly, stroking his hair.
"Kaoru, something is obviously hurting you…please talk to me." He said softly, feeling his boyfriend's skinny body shivering in his arms. He squeezed him tightly, rubbing his bony back and kissing his hair. Kaoru shook his head against his chest, his hands clutching Omi's shirt. Omi sighed, petting his hair "Fine, don't tell me… I will find out though, Kaoru, I don't want to see you like this again.." he said quietly, more to himself than to Kaoru. He moved away and held Kaoru's face in his hands looking at him as he wiped the tears away with his thumbs "I hate seeing you cry."
Kaoru looked at him with a weak smile and kissed Omi gently, hugging him around the neck
"I-I love you, Omi… I'm sorry.." he whispered. Omi hugged him back tightly before kissing him
"I love you too, Kaoru, I always will… Remember that, ok?" Kaoru nodded, sniffing. Omi smiled, wiped his pale cheeks of tears and stood up, going back to his work. Kaoru took a deep, shaky breath and let it out slowly, composing himself. Omi glanced at him, filled to the brim with worry, and decided to take secret action. He sent a hacking email to Hide to get his attention, then another one asking for his and Niwa's help.
He quickly received a snarky reply back on about 'why should we help you, dog?'. He sighed; making sure Kaoru's nose was in a book before typing back: 'Look, this isn't for me. Something strange is going on with Kaoru and it's really worrying me, he says he can't tell me what's wrong so I need to find out what it is that's hurting him.' He sent it, leaning back in his chair slightly as he waited for an answer
"What's that you're reading, Kaoru?" he asked casually. Kaoru looked at him over the book and smiled, showing him the cover
"'Wuthering Heights', it's by an English woman called Emily Brontë." Omi was forever impressed by Kaoru's intelligence
"You're reading an English book? Isn't that difficult?"
"Not really, some of the language is a bit tricky but it's beautifully written." He said, smiling. Omi was sad his smile wasn't as bright as it usually was. He nodded and Kaoru's emerald eyes went back to scanning the pages just as a reply flashed up on screen. He opened it
'Well, if it's about the Queen then it's another matter entirely. Niwa is very concerned, what exactly is wrong?' Omi sighed and explained everything he knew and feared, knowing the two would help, especially Niwa.
"Omi, I'm going to get some fresh air.." Kaoru said with a sigh, standing up after he finished his tea and took the cup with him to wash
"Oh, ok, Kaoru, do you want me to come with you?"
"No, that's alright, you're busy. I won't be long." He said with a smile and left the treasury quietly, taking his book with him. Omi sighed and, waiting a moment or two, went to the Student Council's room to speak with them in person.
Niwa opened the door as usual and ushered Omi in. Both Niwa and Hide looked at him with serious expressions as he sat down
"What do you think is wrong?" Hide asked. Omi sighed
"I'm not sure, I'm worried somebody mistreated Kaoru last night but I can't work out what would put him in such a way…" he didn't want to think about what he suspected. Niwa sighed
"Well, if someone is hurting my Queenie they're in for some pain…" he muttered. Hide nodded his agreement, frowning.
"How can we find out what's wrong with him though?" Omi asked. All three were silent for a moment then Niwa spoke
"Maybe Kazuki will know? He's dealt with those people for years, he may suspect something." Hide nodded, already typing
"I'll send him a message…" he muttered.
"I'd better get back to the treasury before Kaoru comes back, let me know what you find out, ok?" the two council members nodded and the silver-haired hacker smiled gratefully before leaving the office.
Omi sat by his computer all day awaiting some news from the others but it wasn't until almost 6 o'clock that he got anything at all. Kaoru went back to bed around 5, looking rather peaky, Omi walking him up and wishing him sweet dreams. The hacker then raced downstairs to the student council room for information
"We spoke to Kazuki and he couldn't think of anyone who might have mistreated Kaoru, maybe he's just coming down with something.." Hide said
"But he was crying and said he couldn't tell me what was wrong!" Omi said
"Maybe he's cheating on you?" Niwa suggested, earning a harsh smack around the head from Hide. Omi shook his head
"Kaoru would never do that…" he said quietly, wracking his brains for any alternative explanation but could think of nothing… He ended up spending the rest of the day and then all night thinking about the fact that Kaoru might be cheating on him. He'd said he loved him…that meant something, didn't it? They had been friends for so long and now they were happy lovers, right? Omi was head-over-heels happy but…maybe something displeased Kaoru. Maybe he was no longer attracted to Omi - but then what about the sex? He would scream his name and lose all his inhibitions and manners, lose control in his arms as he experienced pure pleasure. Maybe he did the same in another man's arms, maybe he preferred it with this mystery man, maybe he thought about him while he was being held by Omi…
Omi pressed his face into his pillow, shaking his head of these terrible thoughts. He loved Kaoru and Kaoru loved him, nothing and no-one would come between that.
Right?
So? Thoughts? Feelings? Criticisms? Much love and gratitude to my one and only reviewer to the wondrous Leteliny! It would be nice if someone else reviewed though, we're feeling a little bit lonely out here…
PMKnut xx