Author's Note: I have mixed feelings about this chapter. I wasn't sure where exactly to cut it off. It seems kind of short to me, but whatever. That just helps me get it posted faster, right?

I've received some reviews concerning how much drama has started happening in this story. Well, I don't know what to say about that, except for the fact that this was never supposed to really be a comedy. Yes, it is a romance, so there are tender and funny moments in it, but this is primarily about their desire to be more than brothers. Incest is a big deal, so realistically it wouldn't be all fun and games, I guess is what I'm trying to say. Don't worry, though. There will be plenty more gags in this story, I promise. Just not so many that they overshadow the story we're trying to tell.

That said, this chapter features the official introduction of the American boy that Kaoru was seen sitting with, the resulting drama bomb, as well as some twin interaction, if ya know what I mean. ;) Enjoy.

"Is this seat taken?"

"Hikaru!" Kaoru's eyes lit up when he saw his twin seat himself across the table.

Despite the fact that the younger twin had seemingly ignored their agreement to eat lunch together to hang out with his newfound companion, he still seemed pretty happy to see his sibling. How dare he?

Hikaru squashed down the urge to wipe that smile off Kaoru's face in favor of keeping up appearances, glancing off to the side where Chiyoko had seated herself next to him. She still had the spoon hanging from her mouth, and raised a hand in silent greeting to Kaoru and the American boy before promptly continuing to eat without a word.

"Not at all, please join us," the stranger spoke smoothly in Japanese that was rather good for an American, his smile perhaps even brighter than the younger twin's. "So this is Hikaru. I was wondering when we would get the chance to meet. Kaoru's been telling me about you. When he told me you were escorting a young lady around today, I thought it might be Chiyoko."

Hikaru accepted the boy's handshake, trying to restrain his immediate dislike of him enough to not seem completely repulsed. Up close, he was even more attractive. Hikaru hated it.

"Nice to meet you... um..."

"Jason Blevins," the boy supplied. "The pleasure is all mine. I hear it's your esteemed mother that we'll be working for."

The foreigner's blue eyes lighted on the girl who had yet to speak since joining their table. She met his gaze silently, munching on a carrot stick now that her pudding was gone.

"So I've heard," Hikaru said, glancing between them with an uneasy feeling.

"This school is really large, isn't it? It's nice to have found someone in my class that I can discuss literature with in English." Jason turned back to Kaoru. "Chiyoko is always spouting off these equations and formulas I can't understand. It's like she's speaking another language."

Chiyoko's expression hardened slightly as she stared at Jason, swallowing the food that was in her mouth.

"It's not my fault you're an idiot, Blevins," she said bluntly. "If you'd stop reading fiction long enough to memorize some of those formulas, you'd understand them better."

"That sounds familiar," Kaoru chimed in. "I actually feel the same way when Hikaru starts talking about math. I never get it..."

"That's why I talk about it, of course. Hoping that one day it'll sink in and you'll stop asking me for help with your homework, Kaoru."

"Sure, sure, Hikaru," Kaoru laughed, but didn't look at him.

If Kaoru had been watching, he might have caught the flicker of something darker behind his twin's eyes. For all Hikaru knew, however, Kaoru had been blinded to everything but the handsome American sitting by his side. He didn't know how much longer he could take it before he exploded.

All their lives, Hikaru had always counted on Kaoru to be the more logical of the two of them... to foresee obstacles and hurdles, working around them without too many feelings getting stepped on. However, it was almost as if the roles had switched... and for every cell in his body that was screaming that this was all a set up, Kaoru appeared to be totally suckered into it.

Hikaru was incredulous, that he seemed to be the one that was more carefully guarded and thinking things through without giving too much away. Kaoru was looking at that Jason guy with smiles that used to be reserved solely for him. It irritated the fuck out of him.

Was Kaoru honestly that oblivious? Hikaru couldn't believe that. Surely Kaoru was aware that this was all likely their mother's doing. The thing was, from where he sat, his little brother didn't even appear to care.

Hikaru closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. He couldn't let his feelings cloud his judgment on how to handle this. It would only make their mother win. Kaoru had been too busy smiling at Jason as if they had been best friends for years to catch the look that had passed across Hikaru's features. Surprisingly, however, someone else had seen it.

"You look jealous, Hitachiin," Chiyoko's quiet voice cut into his murderous thoughts.

Hikaru's eyes snapped open as he looked towards the girl, then towards the two seated across the table. They didn't appear to have heard her, but Hikaru still felt vulnerable to have been called out on it. He shrugged in an effort to appear nonchalant.

"Well, he is the only brother I have..." he mumbled.

Meanwhile, across the table, the conversation continued between the younger twin and the American.

"It's an effort to convince Hikaru to talk with me in other languages unless we're traveling. He always says, 'Japanese is what we were born to speak, so why bother?'" Kaoru explained, grinning. "Right, Hikaru?"

The younger twin happened to look at Hikaru at that very moment; his brother's fingers were nearly crushing his apple in a white-knuckled death grip. Even if Hikaru had carefully tried to hide his annoyance, Kaoru was one person that could always tell when his brother was holding something volatile within. He now gazed at his older brother, trying to put a finger on exactly why he was acting this way. If he allowed his jealousy to show, it would give everything away. Kaoru's eyes flicked towards where Chiyoko sat, also watching Hikaru curiously.

Of the four of them, only Jason seemed to still be oblivious to the silent tension at the table, and the American boy continued to chatter amicably.

"Nothing wrong with that. It's nice that Hikaru is so loyal to his home language." Jason laughed brightly and turned to Hikaru, who met his gaze evenly in spite of irritation that was growing by the second. "Your little brother is charming, Hikaru. He speaks very highly of you. And his English is amazing. I only wish my Japanese was as good."

Jason was clearly a smooth talker as well as handsome. If Suou got wind of this guy, he might even end up being invited to become a host. The thought alone made Hikaru sick. Even worse, Kaoru actually seemed flattered by such praise, too, a soft blush tinting his cheeks. It certainly didn't help Hikaru's mood any.

Though Kaoru was becoming concerned that he needed to keep an eye on his twin, his interest was also snared by the mysterious female that Jason had called Chiyoko. He observed her quietly as she finished her meal. Her long, black hair fell as straight as sticks, and he might have considered it plain if not for the fact that it was obviously healthy and well-groomed. The sleek style suited her, and aside from the completely stoic expression she had been wearing pretty much the entire time she'd been there, she could even be called pretty.

"So you're the one my brother was assigned to escort today?" Kaoru asked the girl once she was done eating, smiling politely.

Her eyes turned to the younger twin and he felt a bit unnerved by the intensity of her stare.

"Yeah, we have every single class together," Hikaru chimed in. "Isn't that funny?"

And by funny, he meant diabolical. Not quite as diabolical as this Jason guy was, though... their mother really couldn't have known Kaoru was gay before this whole mess... could she? It was too perfectly engineered.

"Yeah, Jason and I do, too," Kaoru responded, exchanging another smile with his companion.

From what Hikaru could see, even if it was by only a small bit, Kaoru appeared attracted to the American. That sat in his stomach and festered while he watched them with lessening patience. He really had tried to eye the American boy as objectively as possible. Really, he did.

Hikaru still wound up hating something about him no matter how he looked at him. The comfortable way he sat next to Kaoru. His impossibly gorgeous face. Holy shit, did he just scoot closer to Kaoru?

Before he could snap, Chiyoko, of all people, ended up being his angel of mercy, speaking things that Hikaru didn't dare.

"Since your brother has been such a helpful escort, I asked if we could eat lunch together. He wanted to introduce us, too, but I must admit I was disappointed," she said calmly, resting her chin in her hand. "You know, I had to wait fifteen minutes to begin eating because you were too busy flirting with Jason to notice you were late meeting your brother here."

There was a heavy silence that had fallen over them like a blanket after she said her piece. Even if Chiyoko's expression remained unchanged, the three males sitting with her all looked stunned.

"What the hell?!" Kaoru eventually recovered from his shock, flushing in a mixture of anger and embarrassment at the accusation that he was flirting with someone on top of ditching his own brother.

Hikaru had silently thanked Chiyoko for her insolence at first, but when he saw the hurt look on his twin's face, he began to feel a touch of guilt.

"You heard me," Chiyoko spoke quietly, shrugging.

"N-Now wait a second!" Jason blurted out in English before he even thought about it. "That's ridiculous, Chiyoko! I wasn't flirting with Kaoru... he was showing me around the school because his English is so excellent. We just have a few things in common, that's all."

"Wow, you don't pull any punches, do you?" Hikaru glanced at the girl, laughing nervously before turning to Kaoru. "I think what she means is, we waited at the usual spot... and we—I mean... I was wondering why you didn't come."

Hikaru felt pathetic just offering such a lame excuse for what was obviously taken as an insult. The fact remained that he still felt like he'd been discarded for someone new, and he was still annoyed. Now Kaoru was, too, and the younger twin did nothing to disguise the glare he was shooting at the female across from him.

"If you really want to know, Chiyoko," Kaoru spat her name like it left a bad taste in his mouth. "I didn't think of meeting Hikaru here because I heard he was busy escorting you around the school. You two seem like you're getting along so well, wrongfully accusing people of certain things, that I would have felt horrible for interrupting."

Kaoru looked like he wanted to hit someone, a look that rarely graced the usually docile boy's face. It was no longer Hikaru, but Kaoru, who would make this escalate beyond control if it continued much more. There was a brief mental tug of war between Hikaru's own irritation and his love for his brother, and he tried to think of something to say that wouldn't cause everything to completely explode.

The younger twin was now pissed off for several reasons. His brother was acting like a jealous child, which wouldn't have been such a big deal if it didn't blatantly suggest that Hikaru didn't trust him with Jason. Now there was this girl tagging along, too, calling out everything Hikaru was trying to hold back from saying. He was practically bristling when he moved his angry stare onto his older brother.

"I can speak to whoever I want, Hikaru," Kaoru said, as though reading into his brother's silent thoughts.

Hikaru sighed in frustration, running his fingers through his hair. The situation was quickly spiraling out of his grasp, and now his own anger was threatening to boil over again. He had to stop this, she would win if they didn't stop this.

"Wait up a sec." He held up a hand, closing his eyes as he tried to regain his composure. It wasn't working that well. "What exactly did I accuse you of? I didn't even saying anything other than ask you why you didn't meet up with me."

If Kaoru wanted to act like he understood his feelings now, the least he could do was get them right. Hikaru only liked Kaoru acting bitchy when they were alone, and this clearly wasn't the time he wanted any of his brother's attitude.

"Hikaru, you've never had to verbally imply anything to me."

Kaoru was even more insulted now that his brother spoke as if he failed to notice the annoyance in his eyes when he first saw Kaoru and Jason together. That annoyance was stretched far beyond Kaoru simply forgetting about the meeting. Kaoru wasn't stupid, but he wasn't a doormat, either. It was only natural for him to be angry that his twin was somehow trying to turn all of this on him.

"Well, what are you implying? That I said you can't talk to whoever you want?" Hikaru's eyes narrowed.

That wasn't even his point! Did he have to beat Kaoru over the head with a Nerf bat that said 'KEEP YOUR PROMISES' written on it in big, bold letters? He didn't get why Kaoru didn't act more understanding of his feelings, especially when he didn't say anything as harsh as Chiyoko had. So what if he was thinking it? Was it really that big of a surprise?

"Oh? Well if I'm wrong, then I apologize," Kaoru said brusquely, turning to the American next to him. "I might as well get your cell number if I'm allowed to speak with you, Jason. You might need me to help you with your homework."

Jason had been watching them go at it with a sort of morbid fascination, and jumped when the younger twin suddenly addressed him, fumbling for a sheet of paper.

Hikaru seethed. Why the hell did Kaoru have to be so perceptive now, when he was already upset? Kaoru's ability to read him was usually blessing, but at a time like this, it felt like more of a curse when he took his feelings and used them against him.

He was taken aback by his twin's words, but simply couldn't let him get the final blow in. After a few moments spent collecting himself, a difficult feat when he was watching the American give his phone number to his brother, Hikaru smiled.

Yes, smiled.

It was pretty apparent by that point that he'd completely lost it, so there was really nothing else he could lose. Kaoru? Well, that might have been a viable answer, had Kaoru not seemed so determined to rub Hikaru's jealousy in his face.

It occurred to Hikaru that Kaoru might not have realized exactly how he was looking at Jason, and Jason at him. He was not the only one who had noticed how it looked, either. Chiyoko did, too, he noted with a hint of embarrassment. But still, he was not allowed to be anything more than a brother right now, he grudgingly acknowledged.

Otherwise, he would have grabbed Kaoru's crotch and told everyone in the refectory what belonged to him.

If Kaoru had been allowed to act possessive under extreme stress, why wasn't he entitled?

Damn Japan and their taboos against incest. Damn mothers and their evil plots. Damn little brothers that were sexually appealing.

Unfortunately, by this point Hikaru was positive he wasn't the only one who thought so, and he wasn't in a position to do a damn thing about it. His smile did not falter, though. He was a man that had been dealt a shitty hand, and he was going to make the best of it.

"By the way, Kaoru? I believe I was the one who asked you why you didn't show up. Not her."

It was a low blow, defending Chiyoko at a time like this, but at least it wasn't a lie. That seemed to be the statement that put the final nail in the coffin, though, as Kaoru flinched.

The younger twin was now so upset, his body was trembling. His fists had clenched so tightly in his lap that his knuckles had turned white. Sweet, easygoing Kaoru was furious, and when he could no longer find words that would express his feelings, it seemed to dawn on Hikaru that he'd really fucked up beyond his usual way of speaking before thinking.

His brother looked even worse than Hikaru felt, and at this point, it was even more painful knowing that he couldn't be the one to comfort him, because he'd been the one to hurt him. It was too much, just seeing Jason's hand touch Kaoru's in concern.

"Kaoru, are you okay? Do you need to see the nurse? You're shaking."

Kaoru tensed at the contact, and Hikaru felt a stab when his twin didn't shake the hand off.

"I'm fine," he said quietly, in a way that Hikaru knew was anything but true.

Without thinking, Hikaru had risen to his feet and leaned over the table. His fingertips touched Kaoru's cheek until his brother's eyes directed towards him.

"No, you're not... don't lie."

Hikaru's eyes were apologetic and his heart was in the right place, even if it was too late. Even if this was the type of behavior they had been trying to avoid.

A squeal of delight rose from the table next to them, and a group of female voices began babbling about 'forbidden brotherly love'. Hikaru dropped his hand, horrified, sinking back into his seat. They must have been watching them this whole time.

"Fucking fangirls..." he cursed under his breath, lowering his head.

Their antics made his gesture seem a lot dirtier than he had intended, and when he felt the weight of Chiyoko's stare, he mentally wished the ground would open up and swallow him. He only looked up when he heard the sound of a chair scraping against the floor.

"Excuse me." Kaoru had risen from his seat without even touching his lunch once. "I need to use the restroom."

The younger twin began walking away from the others. Jason, still worried about his new friend, had also gotten up out of his chair to follow Kaoru, but for some mysterious reason he didn't make it very far before something slipped out from under the table to trip him.

The American boy landed flat on his face, and the foot that had ever-so-swiftly poked out from underneath the tablecloth darted back beneath it, covering any trace of Chiyoko's involvement. While Jason was busy tending to his poor, bruised nose, the girl turned her eyes to Hikaru and gave him a look.

Hikaru may have found her hazel eyes extremely difficult to read, but it was pretty obvious that she gave him an opportunity to go set things right with his twin. He was startled by the gesture, and wanted nothing more than to rush to Kaoru's side, but doing that... could be the very thing that would make him lose Kaoru.

He was treading on very thin ice, and he knew that. All it would take was one small comment in passing to their mother that could easily be exaggerated, and it would be off to Europe for one of them. Or worse, America. He took one more glance at Jason, currently examining his face in a small mirror, and cringed at the thought.

In spite of Chiyoko's knowing look, he had to risk it. Kaoru needed him. If he didn't go, he'd lose Kaoru's trust.

"I'm sorry about all this." Hikaru had risen to his feet and scratched the back of his head somewhat sheepishly. "I swear, we really aren't as crazy as we must look."

They were, in fact, a lot crazier than that. Just in different ways.

"I should go apologize to Kaoru... if you'll excuse me..." Hikaru didn't wait for any acknowledgement before dashing off in the direction his brother went.

He felt guilt gnaw at him as he left the dining hall, knowing the desperation his brother must have felt to find a private place to release his frustrations. It would definitely be a bathroom, too, just like Kaoru had said. If there was one thing Hikaru knew about his brother, it was that he was incapable of making up elaborate stories on the rare occasions he was genuinely upset. Kaoru would have chosen the nearest men's room, which Hikaru zeroed in on. He rushed to the lavatory door, but when it came to actually opening it and going in, his movements were almost hesitant.

"...Kaoru...?"

He heard the sound of the running water when he walked inside, and he spotted his twin standing beside the sink. Kaoru splashed his face with cold water, which was still reddened, but he no longer looked angry, nor was he shaking. The expression he wore was one close to defeat.

Not only had Hikaru hurt him, but he was also frustrated over what their mother was clearly trying to do. It was even more disheartening because it appeared to be working. Hikaru pissed him off so much sometimes that he just wanted to scream.

But it wasn't worth losing him for. There was a lot of stress to deal with. Their perfect little world was crumbling, and today made it clearer than ever. There had never been any quarreling, or anyone threatening to take them away from each other until now.

"Kaoru..."

The younger twin dried his face off with a towel hanging near the sink, then turned to see his brother standing there with a look of uncertainty etched across his features.

"This is all my fault, Hikaru," he said quietly. "I should have kept my mouth shut... about how I feel. Maybe we would have both been happier that wa—"

Kaoru was cut off with a slight squeak when Hikaru suddenly pulled him against his chest in a fierce embrace.

"Shut up, Kaoru!" Hikaru's sharp reprimand was slightly muffled against his twin's neck. "Don't you ever say that to me!"

There was desperation in the way Hikaru held him, and Kaoru could feel the sting of tears when he realized how horrible that must have sounded to his brother.

"Sorry..." Kaoru tried to swallow the lump in his throat. "I'm sorry I didn't meet with you."

"I'm sorry I sounded like an asshole back there." Hikaru's voice was broken as he lifted his head to look his twin in the eye. "Just don't act like you regret being with me... Don't you want me anymore?"

He didn't want to even entertain that notion. Kaoru had been the one to finally make him see what those feelings nagging at the back of his mind had really been, and everything seemed so perfect between them once they became known.

"Of course I want you, Hikaru..." Kaoru's arms had wrapped around Hikaru's neck. "I just thought that being apart for a while might help... I thought that maybe mom was right. Maybe we're just... screwed up because we've never had anyone except each other. That's why I didn't try to find you."

"It didn't help," Hikaru insisted. "When I had to escort that new girl, I hated the fact that I was by myself. I kept wishing you were there. Maybe we are screwed up, but do you really think being apart is going to make us stop feeling like this?"

"I guess I was hoping the girl would distract you from being so upset over this whole situation with me. I hate seeing you so sad." Kaoru lifted trembling fingers to stroke through his twin's hair. "Maybe a part of me even wanted you to like her... so you could be happy on your own instead of being forced to stay with me."

"Don't you understand by now?" Hikaru cupped Kaoru's face in both hands. "I can't be happy if I'm not near you!"

"Hikaru..."

"I just... got so mad. I couldn't stand seeing you sit so close to that foreigner." Hikaru pressed his forehead against his twin's. "It's not fair... that mom would be okay with that, and not me sitting next to you that way. Nothing seems fair anymore, does it?"

"No, it's not fair, but I just thought it might have been the right thing to do to get out of trouble with mom. To make her think I was interested in someone else."

All Kaoru wanted to do was hold Hikaru close like this without other people calling them freaks, but it was foolish to believe the path they had both chosen was anything but complex.

"You had me fooled," Hikaru admitted, feeling stupid for not realizing what Kaoru had been trying to do. "We'll never be able to get out of hot water with mom by avoiding each other, though. If we don't want to get separated, shouldn't we be proving to her that we can be somewhat normal when we're together?"

"I kind of figured you would be doing the same thing with that Chiyoko girl. She was kind of cold, but she's really pretty. I got a little jealous when I saw her sit down next to you."

"Of course she's pretty, she's a model. Thing is, I was so busy being jealous of that American that I didn't even consider you might be jealous of her." Hikaru kissed Kaoru's cheek. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Hikaru. Knowing you care enough about me to get so jealous actually makes me happy. Even if you do go insane for a while." Kaoru smiled, nuzzling his twin gently.

"You're worth getting worked up over, what can I say?"

"Nothing is worth getting that worked up over."

Hikaru chuckled.

"Maybe... but I think we both know neither of them can be trusted." The older twin's tone became serious. "Maybe in another time and place I might have considered being her friend. She actually seemed really cool to hang out with. Except with my suspicions about why she was so conveniently placed in my care... I couldn't have managed to fake the same level of comfort that I saw with you and that Jason guy. Please understand."

"Yeah, you're right... That girl did seem okay. I thought she was being a total bitch when she said what she said, but looking at it now I guess it was true." Now that Kaoru thought about it, Chiyoko had been waiting for him, too, and that was what made her angry. In a way, she had a right to be upset because she was only trying to be polite. "I'll apologize to her."

Kaoru very wisely made no mention of Hikaru apologizing to Jason. That was an entirely different matter, as far as Hikaru was concerned. Chiyoko didn't appear to be interested in Hikaru.

The same could not be said for the boy Kaoru had been escorting around Ouran. Jason seemed to find the younger twin both physically and intellectually fascinating, and Hikaru was probably going to have to set him straight at some point. If not to claim his territory, then to make sure Jason didn't try anything... American... with his brother.

They continued to hold one another, knowing their time was extremely limited. It was an indulgence that their mother would have flipped her lid about. Still, they wanted to take advantage of the precious few minutes they could steal without rousing suspicion in their respective companions for the day.

"It's only been half a day and it's already felt like too long," the older twin whispered conspiratorially.

It was unwise, but he couldn't resist the temptation of stealing a kiss from Kaoru. A delicious tingle originating from his lips spread like wildfire through his body when their mouths pressed together.

They both knew the risk they faced, but when Kaoru involuntarily gasped and laced his fingers through Hikaru's hair, the older twin only cared about pressing his brother against the wall and plundering his open mouth.

Their kisses were long and drawn out, as though each of their tongues were mapping the contours of the other's mouth. Hikaru wanted to remember every detail, every taste and texture of Kaoru, because he didn't know when they would ever be able to do this again.

Heated lips strayed away from the younger twin's mouth, kissing slowly up his jawline to his ear. Hikaru inwardly smirked; he had learned some time ago that Kaoru's ears were one of the most sensitive areas on his body. He used this to his advantage as he delicately caught the lobe between his teeth, simultaneously grinding his hips against his twin's to feel the inevitable reaction.

"Ah... H-Hikaru!" Kaoru stuttered, clawing at his hair. "N-No, Hikaru, think about last time!"

The reality of their situation immediately flooded into Hikaru's mind and he tore himself away from Kaoru, looking horrified.

"Oh God, Kaoru, I..." He quickly turned away, the sight of his flushed, disheveled brother more powerful than his sense of control. "I'm sorry. I probably didn't help matters by doing that."

"It's okay, Hikaru," Kaoru said softly, smoothing out his uniform. "I know it's hard."

"It's hard, alright," Hikaru groaned, making Kaoru laugh.

"That'll have to wait. Until later, that is." The alluring hint of promise in Kaoru's voice snared his brother's full attention.

Hikaru exchanged a hungry look with his twin, and he knew that they would somehow find a way to be alone together again. When they had more time. Though it left him craving more, it also put him at ease.

"Okay." Hikaru smiled. "We should get back, huh?"

"Yeah." Kaoru smiled back, raising his hands to pat down his brother's rumpled hair.

They held hands on the way out, and began to make their way back to the refectory. Hikaru kept watching Kaoru out of the corner of his eye. He seemed no worse for the wear after their little tiff, but the underlying weariness definitely matched how he felt about being thrust into a position of hiding their true selves.

They were being forced to resort to their old tricks. 'Us' versus 'them'. As long as they were both still playing for the same team, however, Hikaru didn't mind it.

"You know, there is definitely something that doesn't sit right with me about that American. Over above the fact that he's not Japanese," Hikaru commented dryly.

They paused outside the doors leading to the dining hall.

"You mean something other than what we suspect of both of them?" Kaoru looked at his brother questioningly.

"Yeah. I don't know about you, but I got a distinct vibe of..." The older twin waved his hands in the air as he searched for the right word. "...I think he wants you. Badly."

Hikaru wrinkled his nose after having said it. Kaoru looked appalled.

"I know you're jealous of him hanging out with me, Hikaru, but I don't think—"

"Maybe you you can tell, or maybe you can't," the older twin interjected. "But let me put it like this. The way he looks at you... he almost looks the way I do when we're hosting. When we're actually trying to look... that way."

"If you say so..." Kaoru still looked skeptical. "I think he was just being nice because he's spying."

Hikaru frowned. How could his normally-observant little brother not see the American eyeing him like a piece of meat?

"Don't look at me like that. Here, I'll prove it to you." Hikaru had an idea, one that he couldn't believe he hadn't thought of before.

Kaoru looked momentarily confused. That is, until Hikaru's fingers gently flicked open the clip in his hair. It became obvious what the older twin was up to when he swept his brother's bangs in the opposite direction before replacing the clip. Grinning, Hikaru carefully rearranged his own hair, with his bangs on the right side of his forehead.

"Is this really necessary, Hikaru?"

Holding a finger up to Kaoru's lips, Hikaru's grin widened.

"Humor me."

It had been some time since they had last switched places, but they were both so in tune with each other's mannerisms, going through the motions would be almost too easy. But this time, the act was for more than personal entertainment, as far as the older twin was concerned. Not only would Hikaru be able to show his twin exactly how Jason was really acting towards him, he looked forward to the opportunity to deter any advances the American might make on Kaoru. Or who he was going to believe was Kaoru, at least.

If nothing else, things were bound to be interesting.

Disclaimer: Ouran and the twins belong to Bisco Hatori. Nakazumi Chiyoko and Jason Blevins belong to Kaerzye, who picked the name 'Blevins' out of thin air because she thought it would sound hilarious pronounced with a Japanese accent. Much love, Rayray.