Step 11:
Quick! Pose! And Don't Let The Noodles Burn!
...\~/...
February 14th, 11:34 A.M.:
He woke up at five thirty in the morning...alone.
He walked around New York City in the chilly February air...alone.
He sat in Central Park, watching other early risers walk hand-in-hand...alone.
Now, he was lying on his couch, trying to smother himself with a throw pillow...you guessed it, alone.
Valentine's Day, Hikaru's most hated holiday. It was the holiday where couples liked to strut around and flaunt what they have and singles don't. It was the time for hearts (his throbbed with pain and felt as cold as ice right now), that gaudy color called pink (seriously, if not used right, it could clash with anything), and that fatass cherub, Cupid, who made Hikaru want to grab that chubby bastard's bow and arrow and shove it up Cupid's naked ass. Valentine's Day was the "joyous" occasion where singles withered in their loneliness, sending themselves candy grams and flowers. Hikaru made a note to ignore the open half-eaten box of chocolates sitting on the coffee table and he was trying to ignore the memory of him walking into the convenient store, buying that heart-shaped box of chocolates...for himself.
Valentine's Day. The day where an average amount of seventy-two million Valentine's cards are purchased, especially from parents. Now, Hikaru didn't know if those parents gave each other the cards or the loving messages were meant to be pick-me-ups for their desperate, lonely children, but he knew that the greeting card his parents sent him was meant to be a pick-me-up. However, its "kind" and "loving" message, telling him that despite the fact his sour and bitter personality was the reason he was still single, they still wished him a Happy Valentine's Day. In his opinion, lovey-dovey cards were a lame attempt at expressing affection. He'd much rather splurge his money on diamonds and rubies for his significant other. Then, he would be able to contribute to the collective amount of four point one billion that's spent on Valentine's Day...but he was single, so he couldn't contribute. It made him smile, though, that he wasn't the only one out there that was having a horrible day. According to statistics, there was a forty percent increased rate in the requests in divorce lawyers, and seventy percent of singles admitted that they'd like to go on a blind date, probably because they were full with pain as well.
"Silly brother, you shouldn't suffocate yourself on Valentine's Day." a voice said with a slight rasp.
Great, now he was going crazy, hearing Kaoru's adorable voice.
Hikaru looked up, gasping. "Kaoru!"
"The one and only." his brother said with a small laugh.
Hikaru jumped from the couch, literally jumping into Kaoru's arms. The younger twin laughed, wrapping his arms around Hikaru, pulling him close. He knew far too well how his older brother felt about Valentine's Day. He could never forget Hikaru's long rants that he would do in high school. Kaoru had experienced being with a girlfriend on February fourteenth; Hikaru hadn't yet and Kaoru knew he had always been a bit jealous of that fact.
"I'm so happy you're here..." Hikaru whispered, his arms around Kaoru tightening.
"I know you are, but..."
"But what?"
Hikaru answered his own question and figured out what Kaoru was going to say. He looked over Kaoru's shoulder and immediately grimaced at what he saw. Clarisse De La Fontaine. Better known as Kaoru's whiney, dependant, demanding girlfriend. Her platinum blonde hair seemed to flow around her, icy blue eyes narrowed directly at Hikaru, and her painted talons bit into her arm as she tried to contain her obvious anger. Anybody with common sense could see there was something of a rivalry between her and Hikaru, usually competing for Kaoru's affection. Hikaru felt his ego swell when he reminded himself that he usually won Kaoru's attention on their visits.
"Ew...you're here." Hikaru hissed.
Clarisse arched a perfect, slender eyebrow. "In ze flesh."
Kaoru pulled away, looking between the two. "Please, guys, don't fight."
"We're not fighting, Kaoru; we're greeting each other." Hikaru replied, glaring into Clarisse's piercing gaze.
The younger twin tried to ignore his brother and girlfriend's stare-down and turned towards Hikaru. "Have you eaten yet?"
"No."
"What? No? Hikaru, you're already skin and bones! You need to eat something!"
"Actually, I did have chocolate."
Clarisse gave an airy laugh, covering her painted lips with her hand daintily. "Aw, did ze poor, poor 'ikaru 'ave no candy gram? No one likes 'im so 'e 'ad to buy 'imself chocolates." She laughed again, but Hikaru knew that behind that hand of hers was a malevolent grin. "All alone on Valentine's Day's must be very depressing." Clarisse snickered, picking up the box of chocolates and examining it. "Zey are not even good quality. Being rich, I expected better..."
Hikaru frowned and glared at her, "But I'm not alone."
Clarisse arched a perfect, slender eyebrow, "Oh really? I do not see anybody 'ere..." she said, gesturing towards the empty apartment.
"That's because she lives in a different state. Her name's Ripley."
Kaoru tilted his head to the side, "You guys are dating?" Hikaru saw hurt flash in Kaoru's eyes at the news. He knew he kept his little brother in the dark about most things, especially when it came to his relationship with Ripley. Now that he thought about it, he had grown kind of distant from his brother, but whenever he had turned to Kaoru for advice, his twin always gave him responses he didn't like, responses he couldn't handle. So, it wasn't a surprise seeing Kaoru look shocked after claiming that he was dating Ripley (which he wasn't). Still, though, it hurt Hikaru just as much to see his precious little brother upset. He'd make sure to tell him later. However, that was going to be a difficult feat since Clarisse clung to Kaoru's arm like a vice, so getting alone time with Kaoru was going to be quite the battle.
"...yes...yes, we are. We have been for about a week now." He was trying so hard to not blurt out the truth now.
He hated lying to Kaoru, especially when his brother gave him those watery, puppy dog eyes.
"Oh..." Kaoru muttered, casting his gaze down. "Do you still want me to make you breakfast?" he asked quietly.
Hikaru felt his heart jolt when Kaoru gave him a sad look.
He never broke his stare on Kaoru when he replied, "Uh, yeah, sure. I'd like that."
...\~/...
"You should've worn an apron."
"Why should 'e 'ave worn an apron?"
"Because he would've looked adorable in one."
"Your relationship with 'im ees a little...worrisome..."
Hikaru glared at her from across the island table, arms folded on the tabletop in front of him. He didn't like the way Clarisse was dragging her gaze up and down on his brother's body; her ogling was disgusting and made him want to reach other and strike her across the back of the head. Clarisse had the uncanny ability of making his aggressive side come out, but he didn't lay a hand on her because she was important to his baby brother and he had to acknowledge that, no matter how hard it was to do so. The woman didn't even notice his narrowed look. What did Kaoru see in Clarisse anyway? Ripley had said that men who go after women like Clarisse usually have experienced some good in those women and ignore all their bad traits just so they can relish in the occasional good trait. Ripley had mentioned that her father was in a similar relationship and that Quin had been in one, but he had broken it off when she, Joey, and Mark nagged him to. But what about Clarisse would be considered good?
"...Valentine's Day?" came Kaoru's voice.
Hikaru shook his head, ridding his mind of thoughts. "Huh, can you repeat that?"
Kaoru looked over his shoulder, "Have you told Ripley a Happy Valentine's Day?"
"Oh, uh, no...no, I haven't."
The younger twin pointed his spatula at Hikaru accusingly, "Hikaru, wishing your girlfriend a Happy Valentine's Day is mandatory!" A plate of food was then slid in front of Hikaru. Kaoru noted the faint blush that dusted across his brother's cheeks. The red-haired twin sent a small smile in his older brother's direction; Hikaru probably wasn't used to having Ripley referred to as his girlfriend yet. Kaoru couldn't help but poke his bashful twin's cheek, which caused the older to look up at him.
"What?" Hikaru mumbled, his mouth full.
"Nothing. I just think it's cute how you're so shy when it comes to Ripley."
"Mmm...I'm not shy..."
Kaoru gave a small laugh, "Okay, Hikaru; whatever you say!"
Hikaru ignored the fact that Kaoru was still staring at him with that goofy smile of his and tore off a bit of toast with his teeth. He had to wonder how Ripley felt about Valentine's Day. Did she have a similar hatred towards the holiday or did she enjoy seeing everyone else happy with their significant other? Hikaru rested his cheek into the palm of his hand, chewing thoughtfully. He wished there was something he could do for her, like take her out on a date or something, but that would require them to actually meet first. When they did meet though, where in the world would he take her? He guessed he could take her on a tour of New York City and take her to either his favorite café or Alexander's Café. Or was Ripley more of the dinner-and-a-movie type? She seemed like the kind of person that would rather experience new things, rather then sit around and watch a movie.
"Sometimes I wish she wasn't so far away." Hikaru muttered quietly, but Kaoru still heard him.
"She probably feels the same about you. Have you two talked about when you're going to meet?"
"She can't afford it. She's trying to save up money so she can come over."
"Well, why don't you just send her a plane ticket?"
"She doesn't like it when I spend money on her. I do it anyway."
Hikaru could feel Clarisse's scrutinizing gaze on him. "What?" he snapped at her.
"She ees probably 'ideous."
Kaoru gave a scolding "Clarisse!" and Hikaru growled at her. "That's it!" Hikaru shouted, trying to jump over the island table and grab Clarisse so he could claw her eyes out. Kaoru wrapped his arms tightly about the other man's waist, restraining Hikaru from attacking his blonde girlfriend. The blonde woman had backed away with heels clacking, a devious smirk set upon her plump lips. There was a fire in Hikaru's eyes as he squirmed in Kaoru's hold and the ash-haired man clawed at the air, desperately wanting to land a few hits on her.
"Hikaru, calm down! She's just kidding!"
"Let me go, Kaoru! I'm gonna kill her!"
"That's my girlfriend you're talking about! Leave her alone!" Kaoru exclaimed, his voice cracking a bit.
"But she made fun of mine! I don't care if she beats me around, but she has to leave Ripley out of it!"
Kaoru could feel Hikaru settle down to where he wasn't thrashing in his grasp anymore, but he wouldn't dare let go until Hikaru's heavy breathing stopped. He had to admit that Clarisse had been harsh in her words and he would talk to her later about it, but calming down Hikaru was his first priority. Kaoru sighed, his warm breath hitting the nape of Hikaru's neck. He knew it was a bad idea to bring Clarisse along, but he had gotten a headache when she had whined in his ear the whole day before. The younger twin glanced over Hikaru's shoulder, laying his golden eyes on Clarisse. She was flicking her tongue out on her ruby red lips; cold, icy eyes were nothing but slits. Her appearance at the moment reminded him of a snake, forked tongue slithering in and out.
Then, he got an idea.
"Clarisse, I'll give you my card and you can go shopping, okay?" Eh, it was the best he could come up with.
"Slide ze card over to me."
"I can't. If I let go of him, he'll come after you. Come get my wallet."
Clarisse hesitated before gliding over, approaching the two men. She eyed Hikaru's loose arms, causing Kaoru to rewrap his arms around Hikaru, pinning his brother's arms to his sides. Kaoru watched carefully, noticing the death glares the two were giving each other. He felt Clarisse's hand slip into his back pocket, pulling out his wallet, and fishing through it to retrieve his credit card. Kaoru had been so focused on Clarisse, that he hardly noticed Hikaru wiggle one of his arms out.
"I will be back een- AH!"
Suddenly, Hikaru's fist landed on Clarisse's shoulder, causing both Kaoru and the woman to gasp in surprise. A pained yell came from the blonde and she grabbed her shoulder. Pain throbbed through her shoulder and upper arm. Hikaru had really landed a hit. His glare was deadly and full of hate, his smirk could match hers in malevolence.
"That's for degrading my girl." he growled.
Clarisse narrowed her gaze, marching up to Hikaru, and running her hand across his face. A searing pain spread through his cheek and jaw, her nails scraping against his skin. His hand instinctively went up to his injured cheek, pulling it back. Blood...his fingertips were covered in blood. He could feel Kaoru's arms slip from around his waist. Hikaru watched as Clarisse looked hopeful when Kaoru came towards her, but he turned immediately towards Hikaru, grabbing his chin, inspecting his scratched up cheek. Hikaru couldn't help but feel overjoyed when Clarisse's face fell from hopeful to severely disappointed.
"You shouldn't hit girls." Kaoru scolded, looking over the three gashes that were embedded in Hikaru's face.
"She's not a girl; she's the devil." Hikaru retorted.
Kaoru's hands fell and he turned towards Clarisse. "How's your shoulder?" he asked softly, touching her covered shoulder tenderly.
"Eet ees fine." she replied curtly, nudging his hand away. Kaoru looked rejected due to her action."Peecking your brother over me..." And she left, glaring at the both of them while she clacked away. Kaoru stared at the door, feeling a bit sad. Then, he felt the weight of his brother lean up against him from behind, Hikaru's arms wrapping around his neck. His brother's nose buried itself into Kaoru's red hair, taking a deep, soothing breath.
"Can you help me clean up my cheek?" Hikaru asked.
"Of course, Hikaru."
"Then, do you want to meet Ripley?"
Kaoru, of course, said yes.
...\~/...
"Stop staring; it doesn't hurt." That was a lie.
"Then why did you cringe every time I touched it?"
"It. Doesn't. Hurt." It hurt like hell.
"Whatever you say, Hikaru."
They were sitting on the floor, their backs pressed against the couch. Hikaru had just dialed up Ripley when Kaoru started questioning about his wound. There was a reason why Hikaru always referred to Clarisse's nails as talons. While the phone rang, Hikaru had to wonder what the Roomies were up to. Maybe they were all out on dates? Then, a thought occurred to him that made his stomach flip: what if Ripley found herself a date? They weren't dating, so they were both free to roam around and accept dates if asked out on one. His imagination went to work, his mind putting forth a vision of another man, not too attractive and not too ugly, strutting up to Ripley, asking her out on a night on the town. Then, she accepted, telling him yes in that adorable voice of hers. Oh God, what if the guy was bold and went in for the kiss, HER FIRST KISS! The thought made him grit his teeth. Goddamn make-believe bastard; Hikaru would kick him in the groin if he were real.
"What's up, Hikaru?"
He had been expecting Ripley, but, "MJ, you need to stop answering Ripley's phone. I'd call your phone if I wanted to talk to you."
"Fine then, asshole." He couldn't tell if MJ was kidding or if she were serious.
Suddenly, over the phone, there was a crash, then another, and another. Then, there were yells, followed shortly by someone pleading and taunting laughter. Kaoru looked at Hikaru in curiosity, cocking his head to the side. "What's going on?" he questioned. Hikaru shrugged, looking like this happened all the time, which really, it did. There was always something going on at that apartment. Well, there was five girls living there, all with very different personalities... It got especially chaotic when the Demonic Brothers made their appearance, which happened the last time he called, and listened to MJ's commentary on Ripley rough-housing with her brothers. Then, he had been cussed out by the three brothers, who had not forgotten the 'other woman' incident. "Yeah, MJ, what's going on there?" Hikaru asked.
"Well, asshole..." She paused for a second. Maybe she wasn't kidding... "Ripley's on a tirade."
"And you say it so casually."
"Well, Ripley going on a tantrum is an annual thing on Valentine's Day, so I'm used to it."
"I'm assuming she doesn't like Valentine's Day either?"
"Doesn't like? She despises it." MJ turned away from the phone to yell, "Ripley, I swear to God, if you break one more-" CRASH! Hikaru grimaced; this was a wonderful first impression for Kaoru. Judging by his brother's straight face, he probably thought Ripley and the Roomies were crazy. In the background, Hikaru could hear heavy metal music blasting from the stereo speakers, more crashes followed by thuds and thumps, as well as Ripley's yells (her voice always got a bit high-pitched when she got angry) and what seemed to be Renee's taunts. Then, Ripley's voice got close to the phone, "I hate Valentine's Day! It's a revolting holiday for sick, twisted people to walk around with their snide looks. You want to know something? Mark, that goddamn asshole, asked me if I wanted to meet his date for tonight! Who would want to date Mark, of all people? And I ran into Katie Bomber today and she's like, 'So, are you married yet?' and before I could answer, she held out her hand and she had a diamond ring. She said, 'My boyfriend proposed to me today! Can you believe it?' Do you know how much I wanted to throw my shopping cart at her face? Really fuckin' bad, that's how! Even that creepy gay guy from high school has a boyfriend! I would know because I saw him at Wal-mart today! And-"
"Rip, calm down! Just forget it's Valentine's Day!" Dawn exclaimed, interrupting Ripley.
"Don't tell me to calm down! I hate it when people tell me to calm down! Just let me...ARGH!"
CRASH!
"Hey, Kaoru, she isn't usually like-" That's when he noticed his brother shaking. "What are you...?"
Kaoru broke into hysterical laughter. He held his stomach while he threw his head back, his whole body shaking from laughter. This time, it was Hikaru's turn to be confused. His brother's laugh matched his voice, slightly higher-pitched than his own voice with a rasp to it. It almost sounded like a laugh that would belong to a child instead of a grown man. There were tears in his eyes by the time he calmed down, wiping them away with a finger.
"What's so funny?" Hikaru asked in a flat voice.
"It's just...she sounds so much like you..." he answered, a little laugh thrown in his reply.
Hikaru didn't get a chance to answer when Erika asked, "Who was that?"
"Oh, that was Kaoru, my twin brother. He came for a visit." Hikaru looked over at Kaoru. "Say hi."
Kaoru looked at the phone, unsure on what to say. He couldn't help but find the crashes in the background funny.
"Um...hi...I'm Kaoru..."
Then, things got silent after a single crash. For a moment there, Hikaru thought he lost connection until the phone burst with sound.
"SO CUTE!" three of the five on the other line squealed, another crash following after. Then there was a thud, like someone diving on the floor. "Oh my God, Kaoru, you have such an adorable voice! Say something else! Please?" Hikaru bit his tongue when he heard Ripley so excited. Had she ever sounded that excited with him? Thinking back to all the times she'd talked to him, he couldn't remember a time when she sounded so...so eager... He eyed Kaoru, taking in the smile that graced his brother's light-skinned face. "Hey, Dawn, he sounds like that one voice actor...ya know, the one that does that really cute, childish voice!"
"Thanks, guys. I have to say, though; that's the first time I've ever gotten a compliment like that!"
Hikaru heard Ripley, Dawn, and Erika 'awww' again. So, Ripley liked the cute voices, huh?
Kaoru didn't hesitate in egging the girls on, saying things that caused them to squeal in delight. They asked him questions, like whether or not he liked being a fashion designer or if he had a girlfriend. It bothered him deeply that Ripley had asked the girlfriend question. Hikaru was pretty confident that she didn't mean anything by it, but it bothered him still. "She's so lucky!" 'She' meaning Clarisse. "Getting to hear that cute voice all the time! I would be in heaven if I got to wake up to that every day!" Dawn exclaimed into the phone. Kaoru laughed, replying, "I don't think Clarisse is into voices like you guys." It wasn't that long until MJ started asking questions and Renee seemed to not insult him as badly as she had with Hikaru himself. It sort of peeved him that they treated Kaoru differently from him; none of them had been that excited to hear from him, ever. And the way Ripley was gushing and cooing over him, something she had never done with him, and he had always wanted her to dote on him.
Then, Kaoru said, "They just met me and they already love me." Hikaru knew he meant it as a joke.
"Yeah...they sure do." he mumbled, casting his eyes downward.
Uh oh, Kaoru knew that tone of voice better than anyone else. It was that tone of voice that told him that Hikaru was getting angry, possibly jealous since this had something to do with Ripley. It was that same tone of voice that Hikaru had used so many years before in Karuizawa when he had lashed out at Haruhi and Arai. He knew what was going to happen next: Hikaru was going to make a fool of himself and lose control of his mouth.
"Hikaru...don't..." Kaoru warned, his voice low.
Hikaru stood up, bangs shielding his golden eyes.
"Well, if she loves you so much, why doesn't Ripley go after you instead!"
And he made a mad dash to his room, a door slamming shut behind him.
It was quiet on both sides of the line, but then Kaoru sighed. Even though his brother had aged, he was still so childish...
"What the hell is wrong with him?" MJ asked sharply.
Kaoru gave a weak smile, "Hikaru...well...he was hurt by someone a long time ago and he's still wounded by it. Because of that, he's even more afraid that people he cares about will be taken away from him, but even before, when we were kids, he was like that. Hikaru's always been possessive and gets jealous easily...sometimes too easily. So," Kaoru cast his gaze downward. "If Hikaru ever lashes out, please don't take it offensively. He just...doesn't know how to control his emotions very well and shows them rather rudely."
"Should I talk to him?" Ripley asked.
"Erm...no. He may say hurtful things, so let me talk to him, okay?"
"Yeah...alright. I didn't want to make him mad."
"He's also hot-headed. Anything can happen..." Kaoru chuckled. "So, talk to you guys later maybe?"
After they all agreed, Kaoru pressed the 'end call' option, and went off in Hikaru's direction.
...\~/...
Hikaru was trying to suffocate himself again.
When Kaoru opened the door, he sighed at the sight of his brother laying on the bed, face pressed firmly in his pillow. He was such a child... The red-haired twin fell to his knees beside the bed, reaching out to poke Hikaru in the shoulder. He didn't get a reaction, so he poked him again. This time, he got the twitch of Hikaru's shoulder, trying to shove off his poking. But his face still didn't leave the pillow. That's when Kaoru grabbed Hikaru's shoulder, shaking him. "Hikaru...Hikaru, come on...Hikaru..." He could hear his own voice crack when he pleaded Hikaru to turn his attention on him. "Hikaru...please..."
Then, there was a muffling sound coming from his brother.
Kaoru arched an eyebrow, "What? Hikaru, I can't hear you."
He watched as the older man lifted his face about an inch off the pillow so he could say, "I'm trying to die." Then, dropped his face back into the pillow. Kaoru inhaled and exhaled, trying to keep his own anger under control. He knew that if he lashed out, Hikaru would bounce back harder, probably even get aggressive. He was sad to admit that his brother had developed more violent thoughts over the years, even sometimes going to the extreme of being physical, as shown before with Clarisse.
Kaoru crawled up onto the bed, grabbing both of Hikaru's shoulders this time, shaking him frantically.
"Hikaru, you're scaring me!"
No response.
"Hikaru, come on! Don't do anything stupid!"
The older brother was still for a moment before lifting his face off his pillow once more. "Does 'stupid' really mean 'suicidal'?"
"W-what?" Hikaru couldn't ignore the fearful undertone in Kaoru's trembling voice. "H-Hikaru, what are you talking about?"
Hikaru flipped over onto his back, resting his head back. Kaoru was sitting with his legs folded under him, arms hanging at his sides again. "The last time Syd was here, she said that everyone was scared that I'd do something stupid, stupid being suicidal. Do you really think I'd...kill myself?" Kaoru's eyebrows knitted together, diverting his gaze away from Hikaru's when his brother looked up at him with questioning eyes. "Kaoru...?"
"Well, I...you're so sad and...angry... I don't know what's going through your mind."
Hikaru kept quiet.
"You always keep me in the dark. We're twins, Hika; we're supposed to tell each other everything, aren't we?"
It hurt his heart to see Kaoru so upset.
"I'm always so worried that I'll get a call...saying...that..."
Hikaru reached up and grabbed Kaoru, bringing him down onto the bed when tears started spilling over his brother's wide, watery eyes. He could feel Kaoru grab onto his shirt, burying his face into the crook of his neck. Hikaru tightened his hold on him, bringing a hand up to stroke his brother's red hair. Kaoru's whole body trembled with every sob that he let escape. Oh God, this killed him. Seeing Kaoru this terrified, and it was all because of him. He really needed to get his head on straight, he needed to get his priorities in check...he just needed to grow up. Everyone else had moved on, but he was stuck in the past.
He wished everything would go back to normal...before Haruhi.
"H-Hikaru..." Kaoru hiccupped, but Hikaru shushed him gently, combing his fingers through Kaoru's bangs.
"I'm not going anywhere. Kaoru, I would never leave you behind." And that was the truth.
He wanted to distract his sobbing brother from serious matters.
"How's Ageha? I haven't called her in forever." Hikaru whispered into his brother's ear.
Kaoru sniffled, "She's doing fine. She'll be starting kindergarten in the fall."
"That's good to hear. Has she lightened up some?"
"No. She's still like us..."
"That's...not as good to hear."
Kaoru shook in his grasp, but this time it was from laughter, not crying. "No! No it isn't!"
He grinned into Kaoru's hair, pressing his lips against his brother's temple.
Then, an idea popped in his head.
"I think I have an idea on how to make Ripley's Valentine's Day a little bit better."
...\~/...
The tea kettle screeched, steam billowing out of the spout. Hikaru quickly turned off the stove, snatching the kettle off the hotspot, setting it on a cooler one. He retrieved two teacups from the cupboard, setting them on the counter, and poured each to the brim with amber-colored liquid. He turned to Kaoru, who was sitting at the island table, taking into his phone. There was a box of tissues sitting beside him for easy access. Kaoru had called Clarisse to check up on her since it had been a couple hours since she stormed out with his credit card.
"Clarisse, I'm not saying you can't buy anything, just... No! That's not what I meant!"
It was quiet for a moment on Kaoru's side; Hikaru could hear Clarisse's high-pitched yelling on the other end when he slid a teacup in front of Kaoru. Sometimes, Hikaru was glad he was single; he didn't have to put up with the constant nagging or false, totally wild accusations. Or maybe that's just what Kaoru had to put up with. And now, as Hikaru slid onto the stool across from Kaoru, and took a sip of his tea, he had to wonder what kind of girlfriend Ripley would be. She seemed to be the type that didn't demand much of anything, instead either waiting for it or getting her hands on it herself, and she seemed to not be the accusing type.
"A tramp? Clarisse, I would never-! What do you mean I'm pathetic? Just because I'm rich, doesn't mean I can't be frugal!"
Hikaru remembered when he and Kaoru would flaunt their wealth around, buying whatever they wanted whenever they liked. They had never been frugal growing up, but now that they were older, and even if they were set for life, they had figured out that frugality wasn't a bad thing. It was strange comparing his older self to his younger self. His younger self would've jumped all over the chance of getting a new car, but now his older self couldn't even think of himself going anywhere without walking. His younger self wouldn't wait for discounts, deals, or for things to drop in price; now he did. Hikaru looked at Kaoru, watching him try to defend himself against Clarisse, and he realized that Kaoru was going places, having his name already squealed by people, and he himself wasn't going anywhere. He was working to be game designer, but was that really what he wanted?
"I'm not cheap! I just want to buy necessities, not blow my money on things we don't need! Yeah? Well, you're a...uh...whatever!"
The younger twin's head cocked to the side, listening intently.
"Yeah, yeah, fine. Whatever. See you at the photo shoot."
Kaoru mashed his thumb against his phone, giving a sigh while letting his head fall into his arms. Hikaru reached over and patted his arm comfortingly, causing Kaoru to lift his head up, golden orbs staring into his own.
"You're so lucky your girlfriend doesn't do that."
"I don't have a girlfriend." Didn't he say he was going to tell Kaoru later?
"But I- Ripley, though...she's your girlfriend."
Hikaru shook his head. "I only said that to get the she-devil off my back."
Kaoru just stared at him with a blank expression, then said, "That's perfectly understandable."
"Now, what's this about a photo shoot?"
The red-head perked up, "Oh, I forgot to tell you! One of the reasons I'm here is because there's a photo shoot going on for my Men's Spring Collection. I was going to invite you to be a model, but you don't have to if you don't want to. I just thought it would give you something to do."
"Yeah, I'll do it, but I want something out of it."
"That grin of yours tells me you have something devious in mind."
"Well, let's just say that Ripley's friend is a major twincest lover." Hikaru said, his grin becoming more and more evil.
Now, Kaoru was wearing a similar one. "And you want to call and give a twincest session over the phone?"
"Oh, Kaoru!" Hikaru exclaimed, grabbing onto Kaoru's hands.
"H-Hikaru!" Kaoru cried out, squeezing his brother's hands in return.
The gleam in their eyes was mischievous and they both snickered, grins equally devilish.
...\~/...
"So, you want to do twincest over the phone?" Ripley asked.
"Yeah, put the phone on speaker phone and call everyone in."
She did just that and that's when the games began.
"Hikaru, I want to talk to Ripley, too! Please- a-ah!" Kaoru begged.
"Now, now, Kaoru; you know what the punishment is for being grabby, hm?" he asked, trying to make his voice as husky as possible.
Over the phone, Dawn was doing her screaming outburst. He could only imagine her reaching for the phone, tongue sticking out like it was always seemed to do when she talked to him. He could only smirk inwardly as the other four laughed. But here was what would really get her squealing: "Do I need to remind you about what happened last night when you wouldn't stop grabbing me in bed?"
"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, OH MY GOSH! I TOLD you they went all the way! Rip, your lover has done twincest!"
"We're not lovers!" Ripley retorted. He tried to ignore the pang of pain he felt when she said that and fixated his attention on Kaoru.
"Hikaru, don't say that! W-wait, H-Hikaru! Please, stop grabbing me there! That's-!"
"So, you can be grabby, but I can't? That's not fair, Kaoru."
There was silence until MJ said, "Wow, you really pulled a number on her." In the background, he could hear Erika say, "Dawn, hello? Dawn, wake up! She fainted..." and Renee responding, "Holy shit! They killed her!"
"Wow, nice job, guys. You really-" Ripley started, but Hikaru interrupted her.
"Hey, Rip, let me talk to MJ real quick."
"Oh...um...okay..."
"Oh, so now you want to talk to me?" Okay, she had to be joking. He'd ask Ripley for advice on how to decipher MJ's sarcasm.
"Look, I need your help on something."
"Yes?"
"I want to take Ripley out on a date...well, metaphorically speaking."
...\~/...
Clarisse had taken the rental car, so they had no choice but to walk over to the studio that the photo shoot was being held in. On the way over, it was a perfect time to catch up, since they hadn't had the chance to do so yet. Hikaru learned that unlike he and his twin who had inherited their mother's eye for fashion, Ageha had inherited their father's computer whiz genes and basically grimaced at the sight of anything fashionable. Kaoru had mentioned that it had broken his heart when Ageha no longer liked dresses; he had been planning on starting a kids line and had been planning on using Ageha as his personal mannequin. Kaoru told him about the time when he finally met Clarisse's parents, who were the exact opposite of his girlfriend. And then he talked about how he, Tamaki, and Haruhi made a habit of having lunch together every week, and that he had developed a love for making ceramic pottery on his days off.
"Hey, I'm getting pretty good at it! I can actually mold the clay into a bowl...shaped...blob thing..." Kaoru said excitedly.
"Mmm..." Hikaru replied, shoving his hands into his pockets.
"Is something on your mind?" Kaoru asked.
"How is she?"
Kaoru immediately knew who Hikaru was referring to.
"Haruhi's doing fine. She won a case the other day and she's taking more classes. She and Tama-"
"Does she ever..." He trailed off, a familiar heaviness washing over his body. This was the same heaviness he had felt when Haruhi rejected him all those years ago, and that same annoying weight that he had felt every time Haruhi and Tamaki did anything romantic in front of him. They had shared kisses, had held hands when they walked in front of him, wrapping their arms around each other during movies that they went to go see; the list of things that they did that bothered him was endless, but the number one thing that bothered him was that Haruhi fell for Tamaki. "Does she ever...ask about me?"
Kaoru's gaze softened, "All the time. You should call her sometime. She'd be happy if you did."
"Yeah... I might do that..."
"Maybe you should do that today."
"Ha, no. Today...it's about me and Ripley, just us. I want to make this Valentine's Day special for her."
Kaoru smiled warmly, "I'm sure she'll love that." Another thought popped into his head as they passed Bob and Ted's Car Repair and Restoration. "Hey, did you see Syd's Facebook? Her relationship status went from 'single' to 'in a relationship'. I wonder what her boyfriend's like? Probably someone that looks like a gorilla." Hikaru grabbed Kaoru's shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. Then, he pointed inside the auto-shop. Kaoru followed his finger, laying his eyes on a handsome man with slicked back brown hair.
"That's Johnny Summers, Syd's boyfriend." Hikaru informed.
"No way," Kaoru muttered. "He's...uh...ruggedly handsome, isn't he?"
"Yeah, I guess..."
They continued walking, avoiding rude couples that didn't break their grasp on each other and would rather walk right into people than walk around. Hikaru "accidentally" kicked a guy's shin when he saw he and his girlfriend making out on a park bench. He also "inadvertently" bumped shoulders with a girl who was groping her boyfriend's ass and "unintentionally" stuck gum on the back of some pervert's neck, finding great pleasure in the way the girl he was hitting on grimaced and walked away. He was like Cupid's evil clone, who loved to wreck love rather than help it.
"How would you describe your relationship with Ripley exactly?" Kaoru asked, out of the blue.
Hikaru's eyebrows scrunched together. "Um...a unique one?"
"Not what I was hoping to hear, but what I really want to know is whether or not you like this woman?"
"Of course I like Ripley."
"Like or like like?"
"What? Are you five or somethin'? What next: you're going to tell me to stay away from her because she might have cooties?"
"Nooo. I just wasn't sure if you meant you liked her as a friend or if you liked her as a potential girlfriend."
"Fine. I like like her."
Kaoru's smile became bigger. "Well, that's good! You're on your way to moving on!"
"...I guess I am."
Those were four words he thought he'd never hear himself say.
...\~/...
The moment they walked into the studio, they were surrounded by make-up artists, Kaoru's designer assistants, and fangirls of Kaoru's, who all had been equally awed by Hikaru. He loved how he could still capture the hearts of girls with one narrowed glance, despite the fact that he had heavy, dark bags under his tired-looking golden orbs, and his very noticeable loss in weight. When he and Kaoru were changing in their room, he couldn't help but look over his brother's half naked body. It was unusual to see them so different; Kaoru had gained some weight, making him look fuller and it looked like he had also been working out since Kaoru had begun to obtain the faint outline of a six-pack and defined pecs. And Kaoru still had that lively disposition to him, which seemed to be very attractive to the ladies. Hikaru couldn't help but pout; Kaoru's fangirls, after experiencing Hikaru's sourpuss attitude, had all backed away and went off to flock Kaoru.
Who needed fangirls anyways?
"Mr. Hitachiin, I need to touch up your make-up real quick." a young woman said, coming up from the side.
"Oh, uh, okay."
Kaoru's assistant dabbed her pinky into some concealer, smoothing it out over the bags under his eyes. She was very concentrated as she applied more and more touch-ups, never blushing, but he assumed she was used to good-looking models. He and Kaoru weren't the only models that were working today; there were several others, all much more muscular and taller than he and his brother. There was even an Italian model getting his clothes straightened by a different assistant. Hikaru remembered Ripley telling him that she had dreamed of getting an Italian man in her life, so Hikaru immediately declared this man as his love rival, even if he had no idea who Ripley was.
"Looking good, Hika. You always were able to pull off salmon, though." Kaoru complimented.
Hikaru turned to his side, examining himself in a full-body mirror. Kaoru has chosen an outfit for him that composed of a black blazer with matching black pants, a salmon-colored dress shirt, a see-through black scarf, and glossy dress shoes. Kaoru was standing there in a white, short-sleeved button-up underneath a silver vest that was decorated with faint white, diagonal lines, white pants, and grey loafers. His wrists were decorated with brown and black wristbands.
"And to you, too, Kao." Hikaru replied, straightening his blazer.
Kaoru stood on his tip-toes, looking over the many heads in the room. "I wonder where Clarisse is? I told her we'd be back here."
Hikaru could only think of Clarisse straddling the lap of another model, shoving her tongue down his throat.
Why did Kaoru have to put up with her? Why couldn't he go out and find a good girlfriend?
Hikaru frowned, unbuttoning three buttons so that his creamy throat could be exposed.
Whoever Kaoru did end up with was going to have to work hard for his approval, though.
"Mr. Hitachiin and Mr. Hitachiin, you've been called." a photographer called from the door.
Kaoru grabbed Hikaru's shoulder, "And let the show begin!"
...\~/...
Girls were ushered to the back of the room, Kaoru's many assistants asking them to hush down while the photo shoot was under way. But when he and Kaoru entered the room, all the girls couldn't help but squeal in delight. The twins had always been known throughout the fashion world, even when they were kids. Having a fashion designer for a mom did that to you. Hikaru and Kaoru's first pose was a simple stand back-to-back, crossing their arms for added effect. The lights that shined down and around them bothered his eyes, which were accustomed to his usual dark apartment. Kaoru seemed used to it, but of course he was; he modeled his own clothes all the time. The second pose was one of him putting his arm around Kaoru's shoulders, his other hand rested on his hip, and Kaoru had his arms crossed loosely near his waist; Hikaru was told to grin and Kaoru was instructed to give a small, warm smile. Photographers kneeled and stood around them, cameras flashing. Every flash made him wince, causing the cameramen to get frustrated and have to repeat the process.
They got a minute to speak.
"Hikaru, are you okay? You keep jumping a lot."
"No, I'm fine." When Kaoru gave him a doubtful look, Hikaru reassured, "Seriously, I'm fine."
"Alright... But if you want to take a break, just tell me, okay?"
"Yeah, fine."
Third pose. Hikaru was told to slip off his blazer and hold it over his shoulder while Kaoru was to pretend he had just got done buttoning his vest.
Fourth pose. This one got the girls screeching their approval when Hikaru had to lift his dress shirt just enough to show off his stomach and he had to give the camera his most seductive look which meant he tilted his head back, looked at the cameras out of the corner of his eyes, lips parted. Oh yes, the girls were sure squealing. And Kaoru was told to unbutton his dress shirt halfway, pausing to glimpse upwards, giving a confident smirk. This photo was a definite ten out of ten.
The fangirls squealing was hurting his ears, his eyes being strained from all the flashes. The photographers, assistants, make-up artists, everybody's constant demanding was beginning to get on his last nerve. But Kaoru's smile, every time it was sent towards him during the break between poses, Hikaru yelled at himself to keep his cool, to go on just for Kaoru. Just...for him. Hikaru took a deep breath, exhaling it slowly. An assistant rushed up to him, smearing concealer over the dark circles again. He flinched every time the young woman touched him, her nail scraping across his skin. It reminded him too much of Clarisse's claws scratching him across his face. He had been surprised when the make-up artists were able to conceal the three scratches Clarisse had left behind. He grabbed the hand of the assistant, lowering it. He'd had enough of her touching him.
What the hell was his problem today?
"Hikaru...?" Kaoru asked worriedly.
"I'm fine." he growled, moving his face around so the assistant would stop touching him.
"Alright, Lydia, that's enough." Kaoru instructed, nodding his head. The assistant nodded, rushing away into the crowd.
"Hikaru, what's wrong?"
"Just a bit agitated."
"About what?" Why did he have to ask so many damn questions?
"I just am. Can we move on now?"
"Uh...yeah..."
Fifth pose.
Sixth pose.
Seventh pose.
His head was spinning now. The scratches on his cheek were throbbing in pain now from all the smiling and make-up being applied and his feet were beginning to hurt from standing so much. Kaoru was still his cheerful self, but Hikaru now looked grumpy, and the cameramen were having fun shouting things like, "Hitachiin, get that stick out of your ass and smile!" and "I'll have you stand there for four more hours if you don't smile, Hitachiin!" He forced himself to grin and smirk. God, he was hating this.
"Come on, Hika. We only have three more pictures left." Kaoru encouraged.
Pose. Flash. Squeal. Yell.
It was all getting to him now. He needed out.
When the tenth pose was done, Hikaru didn't hesitate in running off the set. He almost made it to the dressing rooms when fangirls suddenly prevented him from getting through the door. They grabbed at him, they asked him to marry them and do disgusting things to them, they wanted his autograph. He elbowed them out of the way, not caring if they yelled out in pain. He finally got his hand on the doorknob, was able to twist it, and he was free from the clutches of obsessed fangirls.
Hikaru rushed into the nearest broom closet, turning over a bucket, and sat. His fingers raked through his hair in frustration, gritting his teeth. His skin crawled and he didn't know why. He didn't want those nasty women out there to touch him; he didn't even want them to look at him.
They disgusted him.
He pressed his phone to his ear, leg bouncing up and down as he waited.
"Hey, Hika, what's-"
"Ripley, I'm having the most stressful day."
"Tell me about it."
...\~/...
It was now 7:58.
He was pacing back and forth, Kaoru watching him carefully.
He was actually chewing his nails.
He was nervous.
"Did you get the roses?" he asked.
"Yes, I got the roses." MJ replied.
"Is dinner ready over there? You made chicken alfredo, right?"
"Yes, I prepared dinner just like you asked me to."
"Did you-"
"I got everything! Now, calm down! Everything's going to be fine!"
He had this all planned out. He wanted this to be the next step in the right direction. He wanted this to progress his and Ripley's relationship.
"She'll love it, Hikaru. You're fretting over nothing." Kaoru said gently.
"Yeah, well, I was calm with all my other dates and look at where they are now." Not with him.
"Alright, I'm leaving you here. She'll be home in a couple minutes. And calm down!" MJ said.
He was on his own now. All he could do was wait.
Come on, Ripley, hurry up.
That's when he heard a door open and slam shut on the other line and his heart leapt. That was most likely Ripley. There were butterflies in his stomach when he scurried into the kitchen, placing himself at the island table after dimming the lights in the room. Come on, he wanted a reaction so badly. It was killing him waiting for one. This wasn't like anything else he had ever done. This was special; this was for Ripley. She wasn't like all his other dates and girlfriends. She was something completely different and he wanted her to feel amazing, wanted...by him.
"What in the... Oh. My. God. Hikaru! What is this?"
She sounded so happy, so excited.
"It's for you."
Displayed out in front of her (he knew because he was staring at the same exact thing in his kitchen), was their apartment's kitchen table pulled out slightly with a lacy tablecloth spread over it. Two candles were lit, one of each side of the table, and a vase full of two dozen red, peach and white roses were beautifully arranged. Two plates, one full of chicken alfredo and salad and the other empty; two sets of silverware, and two glasses, one full of wine and the other dry, were placed neatly on the table as well. Then, there was her phone, which MJ had taken earlier, propped up against the flower vase, waiting for her.
He could hear Ripley laugh and he smiled.
"I can't... I can't believe this. This is just too... I love it."
He wished she would've replaced the 'it' with a 'you'.
"I'm glad. I wanted this to be special."
"No one's ever done anything like this for me."
"Well, you can't say that anymore."
He needed this. He wanted this. He loved this.
He needed her. He wanted her. He...he...
"Why did you do this? I mean, I love it, but you didn't have to go-"
"Because I lov- like like you."
"Well, I like like you, too."
He smiled, closing his eyes.
His wounded heart was finally beginning to heal.
...\~/...
Somewhere in the Bi-Polar Weather State:
March 4th, 1:03 P.M.:
"Oh my gosh, twins! And they're Asian!"
The group of five girls looked over to see a large poster plastered up on the display window. There was a flock of girls surrounding it, all blushing and giggling at the picture. Two models, one dark-haired and the other with red, were staring seductively at the cameras, skin exposed.
"Dawn, you can't have a fangirl spasm every time you see twins!"
Dawn ignored them, rushing over to the group, joining the other girls in their ogling.
"Hey, Rip, where have we seen the name Hitachiin?"
"Um...Hikaru Hitachiin?" Ripley answered quietly, gaping up at the poster.
"Oh, yeah... OH MY GOD! That's your Red Hue guy!" MJ exclaimed, grabbing onto Ripley's arm and shaking her. "That's Hikaru!"
"Wow, Rips, you actually managed to score a hot piece of meat." Renee said, punching Ripley in the shoulder. "I always pictured an overweight car salesman for you!"
"Gee, thanks..." Ripley replied in a flat tone.
"Shut up, Renee!" MJ hissed.
"What? I'm being nice!"
"Yeah, but which one is he?" Erika asked, looking over the poster.
MJ responded casually, "Oh, he's the one with the dark hair."
"But how do you know?"
"Because he told me."
Ripley whipped her gaze towards MJ, "What? When did he tell you?"
"Back on Valentine's Day."
The group was quiet. Ripley couldn't help but hear the other excited girls surrounding the poster, exclaiming that they thought he was attractive and wished that guys like him would notice girls like them. One girl in a different group even had the audacity to say that she'd...well, let's keep her perverted fantasies to herself. Ripley stared up at the poster, gazing intently at the dark-haired man that stared right back, looking very sultry in his pose.
"Rip, are you okay?" Erika questioned. "Are you that surprised by his appearance?"
"Oh, um... I'm fine." Ripley responded, smiling sheepishly.
MJ frowned, "I'm a psychology major and your best friend, so do you seriously think I believe you're fine?"
Ripley cast her eyes downward, "Well...um...when I pictured him...I didn't picture him so attractive..."
"Twincest is always attractive..." Dawn mumbled. Erika punched Dawn's upper arm, giving her a stern look.
"Rip, tell me what's wrong." MJ pressured.
"Nothing. Nothing's wrong. I'm fine."
"I'm gonna start poking you and I won't stop poking you until you tell me!"
"Do you treat the kids at your school like this?"
They were walking away now, which Ripley was thankful for. MJ was still poking her.
Dawn asked, "You did ask if his brother was single, right?"
MJ shook her head, "Not now, Dawn. I'm trying to get Ripley to open up about her feelings."
"Oh...okay!"
That's when MJ gasped, "Ripley, you aren't...you aren't thinking dirty thoughts, are you?"
Renee answered before Ripley could, "MJ, have you seen that boy? I wouldn't be surprised if she excused herself to the bathroom shortly..."
"RENEE!" the other four shouted. Ripley hissed, "I will not have you talk about my boyfr- I-I mean...FRIEND like that!" Great, she could feel herself blushing now.
"You guys haven't made it official yet?" Dawn.
"Why would they?" MJ.
"I don't know, probably because they make each other happy?"
Ripley sighed, "It's only been a couple months, guys. Plus, there's...something going on with him..."
"What sort of problems?" Erika.
"Yeah, what sort of 'stuff' does he have on him? You're not...HAVE YOU NOT TOLD ME SOMETHING VITAL?" MJ gasped.
"What's wrong with him? Is he alright?" Erika again.
"Don't know! He hasn't told me! Can't I just rely on my gut?" Ripley asked.
"My gut's stupid. It just tells me when it's hungry." Dawn added.
It was quiet. MJ watched as Ripley brought her hand up to her lips, digging her nails into her bottom one. Always a sign that Ripley was thinking about something.
"What are the symptoms of depression."
"Lack of appetite, mood swings, sleep apnea...um, suicidal thoughts is the kicker." MJ listed. "Want more?"
Dawn and Erika kept asking Ripley if she was depressed and she finally responded with, "Check...check...check...shit..."
"Who are you worried about? It's not Hikaru, right?" MJ.
"Is it Hikaru? Is he okay?" Erika.
"Um...Mark. I think he's finally realized how stupid he is and it's depressing him."
The three found no humor in her words whatsoever.
"That wasn't funny..." MJ muttered.
"Heh, I thought it was..." Ripley laughed.
"I'm going to kill you now." MJ said and punched Ripley in the arm.
"OW! Hey! If you kill me, that'll really depress Hik- MARK!"
"Ah-hah! So it really is Hikaru you're worried about!"
"No, I said Mark."
"But you started to say Hikaru."
"No, I obviously hiccupped."
"We won't judge you if you tell us! You know we won't!"
She needed to get out of this conversation. They wanted answers she didn't possess.
"Hey, where's Renee?" Dawn asked.
Ripley found her way out. "I think the Abercombie models were out again. Remember last time?"
"Oh shit!" MJ shouted. "Everybody fan out! We have a Situation Renee; I repeat, Situation Renee!"
Ripley watched as the other three hurried away in search of their missing member. Her shoulders slouched, her whole body feeling heavy.
"Hey, Hikaru, you okay? Why won't you tell me anything?"
So, the Valentine's Day chapter. THIS CHAPTER IS MAJORLY BI-POLAR! It goes from happy to sad to happy and so on and so forth. It's not as funny as the Christmas day chapter, but this chapter is definitely a step forward in Hikaru and Ripley's relationship. I hoped you all liked the date scene! I got all warm and fuzzy when I wrote that part. :D And Ripley found out what Hikaru looked like when they promised each other they'd keep their appearances secret! Oooo...but will she tell Hikaru about it? Hmm, we shall see. If you guys are paying attention, there are big time gaps between each chapter, and that's because I'm planning on having Hikaru and Ripley meet in September, which means they would have known each other for about nine months. The reason why I'm telling you all this will become very clear in the future. By the way, if you liked Kyoya/Tara together, I have another fanfic that's dedicated to them called 100 Moments Between A Megane and A Southerner.
Questions: 1) If you could pick any character from the anime/manga that you would want to see in this story, who would it be? 2) What do you all think of Haruhi? I've seen mixed reviews on her, but I'm curious to see how you guys see her.
Review please! Thanks!
Author's Note - Fin