"Kousaku!" exclaimed Tsubame, knocking him out of his thoughts.
"Hmm?" he responded idly, giving an apologetic chuckle, "I'm sorry, guess my head was stuck in the clouds."
She seemed to accept his apology, nudging her shoulder up against him as they walked home. It was a nice day out, most days here seemed to be. At least in spring, he mentally corrected, he had yet to face the infamous tokyo heat.
"I said," she replied, rolling her eyes all the same, "how has settling in gone? I know when we talked about school three days ago, you were all stressed about it…"
He shrugged, smiling all the same, "It's been a rough couple of days, that's for sure. But at this point, I think I've finally started to stand on my own two feet. I'm surprised my right hand hasn't fallen off with all the writing though…"
Kousaku held up his hand to emphasize his point, revealing the ink stains on his palm from today's classes. He wasn't lying. It'd been difficult for him academically to settle in. Socially on the other hand.. He wasn't certain where he stood. So far at least, Kousaku hadn't made any friends outside of the Oozoras. Hell, almost nobody had spoken to him outside of class with the exception of Shiina and Kaori, and no offense to them, but they didn't seem like very friendly people in the few interactions he'd had. Shiina always seemed to be upset at him just for existing, and Kaori, well, the less said the better. He shook his head, clearing his thoughts.
"I really do need to thank you though," he said, genuine appreciation coloring his tone, "Between you and Hibari, I swear I got a whole year's worth of education! Your help really means a lot."
She gave him a small smile, cheeks dusted pink.
"You're welcome Kousaku, I'm glad," her eyes widened into an expression of shock, exclaiming excitedly, "Oh! On that note! I got my results back on my paper! Almost perfect marks! I guess we helped each other huh?"
"I guess so," Kousaku lamented with a sheepish smile. She'd become someone he couldn't help but appreciate. When it came to school, she generally had a patience with him that made learning so much less stressful. It definitely was a perk that she was great for conversation.
"Why don't we go out and get a treat at a local cafe to celebrate?" she blurted suddenly, jarring Kousaku from his thoughts, "We've both worked really hard, plus it's always nice to have an excuse to get something sweet, right?"
"It could be nice," he reasoned, pondering the thought, "but um, shouldn't we at least let your dad know we'd be late? What if he gets the wrong idea?"
"Oh!" she exclaimed, facing flushing red, "I-I guess that's true. I hadn't even thought about that! Let's forget about it.. Maybe another time."
"I mean I'd like to!" Kousaku retorted quickly, "Maybe um, maybe this weekend?"
His suggestion was met with joy, Tsubame giving him a warm, albeit nervous smile.
"I'd love that," she said sincerely.
They approached the home together, the front entrance being opened by one of the many mob members loitering around the home.
"Good afternoon Miss Oozora, Mr. Sakamoto," an older gentleman greeted.
The two walked into the home, talking quietly to one another. It was a short conversation, but both agreed it'd be smart to get their homework out of the way to allow for more free time this weekend. As they made their journey through the twisting halls to what Kousaku had dubbed 'the study space', he felt a hand latch onto his shoulder.
He couldn't stop himself from flinching at the motion, the large palm and tight grip jolting him from any thought. He turned towards the source of the intrusion, facing down what had to be the most intimidating man Kousaku had ever met. Like other mobsters here, the man in front of him wore a well tailored suit. It was a modern cut, a black shirt beneath a charcoal suit jacket, a silver tie completing the look. Stylish black shades obscured his eyes from view. From the slicked back hair to the thin mustache, everything about this man screamed class. Specifically, Kousaku noted, the kind of class you'd suspect from a Bond villain. His expression was sharp, lips pulled into a frown. Kousaku felt a shiver run down his spine as his good mood was doused with the icy chill of nervousness.
"Er," Kousaku started nervously, feeling his palms grow sweaty, "i-is there something I can help you with sir?"
His kind tone didn't seem to brighten the man's mood in the slightest. The stern expression behind tinted lenses stayed hard as he replied, hand like a vice on Kousaku's shoulder.
"Do you really think acting all sweet will save you what's coming, boy?" the man snapped, tone like solid granite, grating and deep.
Kousaku turned to Tsubame, who looked just as clueless as he felt, "W-what?" he stuttered out.
The man tightened his hold to an almost painful level, glaring at Kousaku.
"No little pansy can hope to run this clan one day. In this world, only the strong survive. And I'll be the one to drag you into your destiny if it's the last thing I do." the fearsome man growled menacingly, sending shivers down Kousaku's spine. Whether it was intentional or not, Kousaku couldn't help but equate the feeling like a gazelle before a lion. This man felt like a predator, from the wide stance to the incredibly strong grip.
Kousaku ripped his arm free painfully, knowing without a doubt there'd be bruises there later. He took a careful step back from the intimidating man. It wouldn't do him any good to freeze here.
"What the hell are you talking about?! I'm not some mobster!" he shouted back. What the hell was going on?!
"Not yet you aren't!" The man lunged forward, capturing Kousaku around the bicep once again, ripping him by the arm down the hallway. His heartbeat quickened suddenly, fighting in earnest to free himself from the man's vice-like grip. Any hope he had of remaining calm disappeared with that motion. The trap had sprung shut. He grasped the man's wrist, frantically trying to pull himself free. Panic seemed to latch onto his heart, thudding heavily in his chest. Tsubame yanked bodily on his other arm, trying to wrench him from the man's grip. She was shouting, the man was shouting, Kousaku thought his head would explode.
"Spartan Dragon! That's not him!" came the commanding tone of Ibari Oozora. The older man walked around the bend of the hallway, drawn by the commotion. As if on instinct he approached with a pistol already drawn, though pointed towards the floor. His face contorted with a mix of anger and annoyance, "That's not my son you dimwit! That's a guest!"
Kousaku found himself sprawling to the floor atop Tsubame at the sudden release, the near silence after all the noise almost deafening. He took a deep breath, pulse still thudding heavily in his throat. He hurriedly pushed himself off Tsubame. Apologizing, he rose, helping her to her feet with the motion. Tsubame gave him a nod of appreciation, a flush coloring her cheeks from exertion.
Ibari approached them, his heavy footsteps the only sound outside of Kousaku's heart. His expression morphed from anger to an apologetic smile as he re-holstered the revolver in his hand. With one sharp look at the man in the suit, he turned his attention to the two younger members in the hall.
"I'm sorry Kousaku, it was never my intention to get you involved in this." he started, "Perhaps it would be best if we sat down and had a talk regarding our new houseguest?"
Kousaku jerked his head in a nod, blood still boiling from the previous encounter. Just what was Ibari playing at? His shoulders felt sore from being pulled, and the man called spartan dragon was still watching him like a wolf eyeing its prey, standing against the wall in a casual yet aggressive posture.
"R… Right…" continued Ibari, seemingly uncertain of what to say in the silence that greeted him. He started off down the hallway, giving a small gesture of his hand to indicate they should follow. Spartan dragon stepped into line behind the Yakuza boss in a fashion not unlike a military soldier. His entire air screamed danger and set Kousaku on edge. Kousaku followed with a much more sedate pace, putting more distance between himself and the intimidating man than was strictly required.
Tsubame matched steps with him. Leaning over, she whispered in his ear, "Are you alright?"
How was he supposed to respond? He was… fine, but that didn't excuse whatever the hell had just happened. His body still didn't know whether it was furious or terrified, all he did know was that his palms were shaking. He clenched his hands into fists, trying to calm his racing heart. "Depends on what you mean," he ground out finally.
Ibari led them into a small conference room. To be more precise, it was the room Kousaku had rested in on his first day, when he'd met Hibari. When my whole life got turned upside down, he grumbled internally. He and Tsubame sat down across from the two adults, each person eyeing the others around the table. The tension was so thick it could be cut with a knife.
"So…" started Ibari, trailing off mid-sentence. He cleared his throat, once, twice. Pulling at his collar, he began sedately, "So Tsubame, Kousaku, I'd like you to meet a close colleague of mine from back in the day, Tatsugorou Subaruta, better known as the Spartan Dragon."
The man bowed slightly, the intensity in his face never letting up for a minute. He spoke in that deep, growling voice again.
"I feel I owe you an apology Mr. Kousaku," he began, steepling his hands together, "I mistook you for my target this job."
Kousaku turned back to Ibari, a small lace of panic pulling through his stomach. Target? What was this guy, a hitman?
"I- What?" he finally said sullenly, "Job?"
It sounded stupid to him, but in the moment he excused his own failure with diction. He just felt so worn out, like so much of him had been drained by the encounter. Somehow he felt simultaneously empty yet buzzing with energy. Tsubame nodded along with his words.
"Well, I owe you some explanation I guess. I won't deny I wish I could have kept this quiet, but well, it looks like my old trainer needs another lesson in subtlety.." Ibari glared at the aggressive man, his tone colored with annoyance, "Dragon, these two are members of home, my daughter Tsubame and a… family member of sorts, Kousaku Sakamoto. Kids, like I said, this is Spartan Dragon. Back in the day, Dragon helped me train recruits, whipping them up to speed and readying them for the harsh life we live. And so-"
Dragon cut him off, leaning forward, "So I've been brought forth once again, to make sure this family will survive the transition of power one day; to train the next head of this family."
Ibari shot the man an annoyed look, continuing after the interruption, "And so you see Kousaku, he was never intended to bother you. He's just here on business."
"So he's here to help Hibari become normal," summarized Tsubame, some of the anxiety draining from her expression.
Kousaku didn't know what to say. How could they all be so… casual about it? He swallowed heavily, trying to clear the weight in his stomach. In the silence following Tsubame's statement, Kousaku spoke up.
"Don't," he started, hating the way his voice wavered in the presence of the Dragon, "Don't you think this kind of treatment may be a little… harsh? I-I mean you grabbed me kind of roughly in the hallway."
"Kousaku-" started Tsubame, only to be cut off by the deep voice of this new trainer.
"No blade starts off sharp, young Kousaku. First steel must be heated, then tempered, shaped, honed. Each step takes pressure, some pain. You can't expect a Yakuza clan head to be born a perfect leader. Harshness is necessary for honing a boy into a man.``He spoke each word matter of factly, as though reading from a script. It felt wrong to Kousaku, leaving a bad taste in his mouth. His common sense won out though and he held his tongue.
Ibari nodded along sagely, speaking up afterwards, "While I agree with the words of my friend here, fret not Kousaku. Before any action will be taken, he and I will be having another conversation about how he acts. It seems someone has forgotten what I said about family not being treated like a common member, even if they're estranged. Isn't that right, Dragon?"
"I just-" Kousaku's throat caught as he started speaking, what could he possibly hope to say? He continued a bit more sedately , "I mean- you're right sir, I'm sure you know what's best in this case."
The conversation continued more lightly, the tension slowly bleeding off with each passing word. However, even as Kousaku interjected at the right times and spoke lightly, he couldn't get the thought of Hibari getting grabbed by this man, yanked around like Kousaku had been earlier. Was this what the world of the Yakuza was like? He gave a small shiver. Being around the family itself had almost been like living within the eye of a hurricane. It'd made it so easy to forget what they were: criminals, gang members. Being around the Dragon when he socialized was an enigma by itself. The intimidating man was a clear speaker, aggressive in his tone and style. However, he looked pointedly uncomfortable conversing to the two teens on topics other than the mob. What kind of weirdo wore sunglasses inside anyway?
Some time passed before Kousaku made an excuse for homework to escape the conversation. The 'Dragon' had a presence to him that left Kousaku tense just being in the same space. The man's confidence and demeanor was stifling, like standing next to an open furnace. He'd do his best to keep his head down until the man left, hopefully soon. Ibari had mentioned the man would 'stay as long as was needed', whatever the hell that meant.
Kousaku padded softly down the hallway toward his room, trying to clear the uneasy feeling from his heart. With the light cast from the windows, Kousaku could tell more time had passed than he'd initially thought. Had it been an hour? Maybe two? Hibari would be home now, wouldn't he?
Kousaku sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets. Everything would be fine, Hibari was strong and could take care of himself. Maybe it would be good for him after all, maybe Ibari was right. Either way though, it felt wrong to him. it just wasn't the world he'd grown up in.
"Kousaku," speak of the devil. Hibari's gentle tone pulled him from his thoughts. The boy stood in the open doorway to his bedroom, a loose sky-blue blouse tucked into a white linen skirt ending mid-thigh. Kousaku ripped his eyes from the boy's body and up to his face, cheeks flushing as he worked to clear his mind. If the dragon had his way would this Hibari really disappear? It was hard to imagine a Hibari not like the person that stood before him. The thought of him with a crew cut and a suit, talking about sports and cars… It just felt wrong! His Hibari just wasn't like that. Wait- his Hibari? Where the hell had that thought come from? He cut off his mental dialogue, realizing he'd been silently staring at his housemate.
"E-er, uh, hi," He stated finally, flushing at his own stupidity. How did he always end up sounding so awkward in front of Hibari?
"Hi to you too," Hibari replied, giving him a small smile, "Are you free right now? I could use your help."
He did his best to ignore Hibari's wink. Just what was he playing at? "I actually had some homework I had to get done," he replied, gesturing to his backpack. Lord knows he didn't need to get pulled into Hibari's next scheme and the drama that'd create. He'd learned that lesson the hard way two days ago, in what he'd dubbed 'the Tea incident'. Hibari's voice pulled him from the memories and back to the present.
"Oh! Perfect!" Hibari exclaimed, latching onto his arm and dragging Kousaku into his room. Kousaku voiced his indignation at being handled so roughly, but his words fell on deaf ears.
He was released moments later, standing in the middle of the space. It was the first time Kousaku had been in Hibari's room, the layout was a mirror of his own only in shape and size. The same spartan layout he had was the polar opposite of the chaos that Hibari lived in. It was clean, though, just… a bit more chaotic than Kousaku's tastes. Posters for popular boy-bands hung on the walls almost haphazardly, photos of friends pinned between them. The bed was covered in soft blankets, fluffy looking pillows, and enough stuffed animals to look almost cramped to sleep in. Shoes stuck out from under the bed, and the wardrobe looked chock full of clothes. All in all, it screamed Hibari loud and clear.
The most organized portion of the room was the desk. It was painted soft blues and pinks, swirling together with red hues to give the image of a cloudy sunset. The workspace itself however was quite clear. All Hibari's textbooks sat at the back of the desk within easy reach, cute stationary sat in neat little organizers, and the desk lamp was already on. It looked… quaint, warm, and very inviting. Pretty much exactly what he expected to be honest. Very cute. He turned to Hibari as the boy shut the door behind them with a clack. In the softer light of the Space, Hibari's straw colored hair seemed to dip in color to gold, shimmering with each motion of his head.
"Did you really need to drag me into here? What do you even need?" he asked, letting irritation fill his voice. He felt uncomfortable here, like he was viewing some part of Hibari's life that was private.
"I want to study for the quiz tomorrow," Hibari stated,placing his hands on his hips. His chocolate eyes, a soft caramel in the light, locked on Kousaku with expectancy, "and as you are obviously going to study, I'm recruiting you to help me."
"I really need to get my assi- wait did you say quiz?!" Kousaku's previous thoughts were completely derailed, forgotten in the frantic shuffling in his bag for his planner. He flipped it open in a flustered flurry of pages, eyes searching each entry. There. Friday the eighth. Quiz in pre-calculus. How could he have forgotten?! It was even written in red pen!
His panic must have been apparent. Hibari replied confidently, "Well I guess we both need the studying, eh?" the boy smirked, giving Kousaku a flirty wink, "If you help me plenty, I promise to give you a wonderful reward.."
Maybe it was the way her tongue darted out to wet her lips, making them glisten a gentle pink. Possibly instead it was the way her deft fingers gently played with a strand of her hair. It could have even been the way her eyes flicked across his form before returning to his face. All he knew was that It felt like his heart was in his throat, why was his pulse so loud? He felt his cheeks flush, taking a step back from this wolf in sheep's clothing. How could she look so sweet all the time and then say stuff like that? "I-I don't-'' he started, voice cracking, only to be cut off by Hibari.
"I'm teasing, I'm teasing," Hibari stated the predatory gleam rescinding somewhere deeper, "I'll let you look over my homework if you help me. That sound like a good trade?"
"Right!" Kousaku coughed, caught off guard by how loud and squeaky his voice sounded. He cleared his throat, continuing with a much more appropriate tone, "Right. Yeah. Sounds good."
"So uh," Kousaku continued, gesturing to the door, "Shouldn't we go to the study room? You didn't need to drag me in here just to say you just wanted to swap notes."
Hibari walked past him, pulling the chair out at the desk. Pushing his weight down onto the back of it slightly, he sighed, glancing over his shoulder at Kousaku. Kousaku for his part avoided looking at the way the angle highlighted the gentle curve of Hibari's back, the soft angle of her spine- "I don't really feel like it today, plus, isn't it so much cosier in here? You're not uncomfortable in a girls room, are you?" right. Boy. How Ironic that comment was what reminded him.
"I'm not uncomfortable being in your room!" he whipped back defensively. Flushing at the other boy's words and his own thoughts. He was better than this dammit!
"Mhmmm…" drawled Hibari, quirking an eyebrow at him. Kousaku couldn't help but fidget under the boy's gaze.
"Look, I'm comfortable. We can study. It's fine." he gritted out. Why was he getting so defensive? This was ridiculous! Hibari seemed to brighten at his words, a warm smile illuminating his face in a way Kousaku did his best not to notice.
"Wonderful!" Hibari exclaimed, "Why don't you go ahead and sit on the bed, I have a lap desk you can borrow." With that Hibari reached down next to his desk, withdrawing the mentioned item. After handing it to Kousaku with a small smile, he sat down at the desk, clearly pulling out notes from math.
Kousaku swallowed down his anxiety. Why the hell did he feel so nervous? It was just him and Hibari, in her- his room, what's the worst that could happen? He shivered lightly, a sense of foreboding filling him. Nonetheless, Kousaku sat gingerly on the edge of the bed. It was soft, inviting; even softer than his own mattress. Like sitting on a down pillow. It felt strange, what with all the stuffed animals around him. The only way Kousaku could think to describe it was a large, comfy nest. He couldn't help but want to lay down and nuzzle into the fabric.
What the hell was he thinking? He shook his head, fighting down the blush that threatened to overtake his face. Taking a moment, Kousaku set up his makeshift desk, withdrawing his notes and homework for the day. As he was uncapping a pen, Kousaku happened to look up, eyes widening in shock to see Hibari happily watching him, if his expression was anything to go off.
"I take it your all set now?" Hibari queried, resting his chin on his palm.
Kousaku nodded, giving a nervous smile. He wouldn't let Hibari get to him, not today.
The two got to work at the pace only practiced students could appreciate. No matter how much Hibari tended to tease him, he had to respect the sheer efficiency the boy could study. Hibari's notes were easily legible and neat, even color coordinated based on type of information. A work of art, in fact. Kousaku's notes in contrast were all but painful to look at. He recorded what he heard and added in text to help explain it later. It wasn't elegant, but it was effective. Fast. If Hibari minded Kousaku's messy scrawl, he didn't make a remark in regards to the matter.
It was fascinating to Kousaku, watching the flirtatious fun-loving boy morph into a serious student the minute a schoolbook was open. Every once in a while he'd catch glimpses of the Hibari he'd befriended in a playful smirk or grateful smile, but his housemate was surprisingly good at keeping on track. He noticed the blonde had a habit of scrunching his nose and nibbling on the end of his pen when deep in thought.
It was thirty minutes later that Hibari cleared his throat, speaking up when he had Kousaku's attention, "Let's take a quick break, we've made some good progress."
Kousaku agreed readily, sitting upright and stretching his back. It had been productive, that was for sure. He flexed his hand, cracking the knuckles as he read over his work. Even with the little amount of time, Kousaku felt leagues more prepared for the exam; no doubt thanks to Hibari. He gave a small smile, glancing over at his housemate. While Kousaku had taken the break to stretch and relax, it appeared Hibari had taken a different approach.
The boy was doodling on a piece of paper, it seemed. The caramel orbs of Hibari focused sharply on the page, completely absorbed in his work. His hand flew across the page with the precision only practice could give. The golden hair that adorned him hung around his face like curtains of silk, glistening lightly in the afternoon light. It was Kousaku's first time seeing Hibari draw. He couldn't help but smile. As quietly as he could Kousaku moved the lap desk off of himself, rising to his feet. He walked the two short paces to the desk until he was behind Hibari.
"What're you working on?'' Kousaku asked, snickering when Hibari jumped at his words. He gave a triumphant smirk, happy to have surprised Hibari for a change. As he spoke, Kousaku's eyes landed on the paper, face morphing into shock. There on the page was a very well done sketch. A sketch of a young, beautiful woman with light hair and soft features pulling a dark haired, nervous looking boy flush against her, kissing him soundly on the lips. He had to give his housemate credit, the detail was impeccable, proportions were all perfect. Wait. He knew those faces clearly, from the mirror and from right beside him. Hibari had drawn- His eyes flew from the piece to the beautiful blonde girl who sat right next to him.
Despite the surprise, the girl was sitting before him, eyes dancing across his face. Ever so slowly, a knowing smirk pulled itself onto her soft lips. Did she- what- Kousaku felt his face flush, taking a step back.
"Oh? Do you enjoy my work?" Hibari purred, a playful lilt coloring her voice, "I could always use a live demonstration to make it more accurate. I mean if you want to snoop, I'm sure we could put that curiosity to use."
"I-" Kousaku stuttered, words failing to come. Hibari stood suddenly, taking slow, languid steps toward him, "What do you-"
All breath seemed to leave Kousaku's chest when Hibari wrapped her arms around his neck, trapping him in her embrace. It felt like his heart would beat through his ribcage at any moment.
"There's just… something so unique and difficult about the shape of lips when joined with another, don't you think? Want to help me make this piece all the more accurate? All I'd need is a bit of… personal experience to really heighten it,," her breathy voice filled the limited space between them. Lilac and Cardamom. All he could smell was the fragrant scents that seemed to cling to her very being. It was overwhelming, intoxicating. He swallowed heavily, frozen before the alluring woman in front of him. She was so close to him, he could feel the warmth of her breath across his cheeks-
Kousaku was snapped back to reality by the clack of the door swinging open. His back was to it, unable to see who had rescued him. On the other hand, Hibari's eyes widened a fraction before her smirk turned wicked. Quick as lightning, she darted forward, kissing Kousaku on the cheek. It was close enough to his mouth though that he felt her soft lips graze the corner of his. The gasp at the door he recognized, palms getting clammy at the coming confrontation.
"There you go Kousaku! Your reward for all your hard work you put in!" Hibari chimed in a too-cheerful tone.
He pushed her- him away, flushing beet red at what the other boy had just done.
"Stop it Hibari! I told you I'm not into guys!" he snapped, leaping back.
Hibari gave him a cheerful smile, "Then I fail to see your complaints."
Kousaku looked behind him to Tsubame, still stuck in the doorway as though frozen in time. Her eyes travelled first to Kousaku, then Hibari, before finally landing back on Kousaku.
"What just-" Tsubame started, tripping over her words. She paused, eyes narrowing and she glared at Hibari, "Hibari! What did I say about teasing him?!"
"What? We agreed on a reward if he helped me study, and well, I'm a woman of my word, aren't I?" Hibari said, dropping himself onto the bed. He kicked his feet idly, looking for all intents and purposes like the cat who caught the canary; far too proud of himself for Kousaku's tastes.
Tsubame turned to Kousaku, a look of disbelief on her face.
"Y-you wanted," her voice wavered, eyes wide, "you wanted him to… to-"
Kousaku cut her off, raising his hands in defense, "No! No no no! He said he'd lend me his homework to study off of! That's it! I didn't- that's not-"
"Oh Kousaku, no need to be so coy," Hibari cut in, giving him a brilliant smile, "You're so cute when you're stumbling over your words."
"Don't make this look even worse!" Kousaku snapped back.
Tsubame's expression shifted towards a mix of anger and confusion.
"Quit dragging him into all your weirdness!" she snapped suddenly. Her eyes went wide, looking guilty for a quick second before continuing briefly in a softer tone, "I-I just...you know what I mean."
Tsubame fled from the room soon after, Hibari's pleasant smile not leaving his face until she was long gone. Kousaku could see it though, the way her eyes had dimmed in their vibrance, how the upturning of his lips carried no warmth. He stood elegantly, somehow making the simple gesture look attractive. Calm steps carried the boy forward slowly, pulling the door shut once again. Kousaku felt the sweat build on his palms. Just what would Tsubame think of him now? How did he always get dragged into this kind of stuff?
"She does have her way with words, doesn't she?" Hibari asked in a quiet voice. Kousaku's head snapped up, brought back to the present by his friend's words. Hibari's expression had fallen more neutral, bordering on annoyed. Kousaku had no clue what to say. He swallowed heavily.
"I-I'm sure she didn't mean it that way," Kousaku lied. Tsubame's dislike of how Hibari presented was no secret. Nonetheless, Kousaku just wanted to provide at least some small comfort. He offered a slight rebuke as well, "But it may help if you stopped provoking her like that."
Hibari scoffed, walking across the room to sit on the bed. "I only 'provoke' her because she's always so nosy! She never knocks! Why did she even come in here in the first place?" he asked, annoyance coloring his tone, "and for the record, she absolutely does mean it that way."
Kousaku shrugged, uncomfortably shifting foot to foot. This was the part he still hadn't gotten used to, still didn't know what to do with. No matter what he did, they always ended up fighting. Scratching the back of his head, he pushed down the uncomfortable feelings and sat down next to Hibari, leaving some space between them. The silence dwelled for a few seconds, Kousaku wanting to get rid of the negative feelings in the air.
"Well, you may find it funny that she's walked in on me too," Kousaku said quietly, a shy smile gracing his lips, "and I was in the middle of changing!"
Hibari quirked an eyebrow, a ghost of a smile rising across his face.
"You're joking, when was this?" he queried back, some of his typical amusement getting through the sullen atmosphere.
Kousaku couldn't help but grin, "The day after I arrived, the first day of school. She was beat red for an hour after, I swear."
"You'd think she would have learned by now. But maybe she's secretly a pervert, wanting to see you naked!" Hibari giggled, pinching Kousaku on the shoulder.
"Don't even joke about it!" Kousaku laughed, giving a mock horrified expression. He couldn't fight the blush that crept across his cheeks at the thought though. They laughed together, Hibari giving him a much more pleased expression than after the door shut. Mission success.
A sigh escaped Hibari, his head falling to rest on Kousaku's shoulder. He couldn't help but stiffen at first, uncomfortable with the contact. If Hibari minded, he didn't say anything. Softly, slowly, Hibari spoke up in that beautiful voice of his.
"...Thank you Kousaku," he stated genuinely, "Thanks for cheering me up. You really are an amazing guy."
Kousaku flushed at the compliment, looking anywhere but Hibari. Should he ask the boy to move? Why the hell did Hibari always pull stuff like this? Why? What was the right response here? He'd never had girls act like this to him back home! His daily mantra kicked in, reminding him once again of what he knew. Not a girl, not a girl, not a girl. Those rules wouldn't even apply even if he did have experience. Still stock upright, he let out a nervous laugh, speaking in a pitch far too squeaky for his tastes, "No! No problem whatsoever! We should get back to our schoolwork huh? Haha. Ha."
Out of the corner of his eye he saw Hibari look up at him through his eyelashes, a soft oh-so-attractive expression on his face. He repeated his mantra, thinking of anything but his housemate next to him.
Finally, he felt the weight on his shoulder disappear, "Fine, I guess you're right Kou-sa-ku."
He shivered at the way Hibari pronounced his name, punctuating each syllable clearly. Nonetheless, he nodded, offering a smile much more confident than he felt.
Hours later, a knock from Seiji broke Kousaku from his work. It was all but complete, Hibari's help making it tremendously better.
Seiji stuck his head through, looking between Hibari and Kousaku briefly before speaking up, "Sorry if I'm interrupting your alone time, um, dinner is ready."
Kousaku rose, happy for the excuse to be done. He stretched his arms over his head, savoring the pops of tension releasing along his back.
"Thanks Seiji, we'll be down shortly!" he said happily, giving the other man a warm smile. Seiji exited slowly with a nod, his massive form disappearing with the clack of the door.
"You think he cooked tonight?" Kousaku asked, glancing over at Hibari, "I'll say that while I love Tsubame's cooking, Seiji truly is something else, eh?"
He gave a small laugh, surprised to see Hibari hadn't risen from his seat. Hibari glanced up at him, setting his pencil aside.
"Ah, I guess so," he said neutrally, catching Kousaku's attention.
"You uh, you all set to go?" he asked after a beat.
Hibari smiled as though startled, "You want to go to dinner together?"
Kousaku was surprised to see a small blush cross the boy's cheeks. He did his best to ignore it, that and all the events of their study session. Fighting a blush of his own, he shrugged his shoulders.
"Why not? We're heading the same way after all." he gave a chuckle, uncomfortable with the way his stomach fluttered with Hibari's shy smile. Why did his palms feel so sweaty?
"Right," Hibari replied happily, standing to his feet quickly, "shall we go then?"
It was a short walk from their rooms to the dining room, the house dimly lit. As Kousaku walked in step with Hibari, arms swinging at his side, he couldn't help but appreciate the quiet of the home at night. During the day it was always bustling, busy with the life and motions of Ibari's "business" as he called it. But now, it was so peaceful, like walking through the stacks of a library.
Among the quiet halls, Hibari's soft voice curled around Kousaku like a blanket.
"I've noticed something about you Kousaku, something interesting by my standards," he said, glancing over at Kousaku, "you don't call me a girl often, only by accident. You don't understand me. Yet even with all that, you've never called me a freak. Why is that?"
Kousaku was surprised by the question, moreso that he didn't have an exact answer. Finally he just shrugged, uncertain what to say.
"Well, I guess it's because you're just you, right? I don't understand it, but being yourself doesn't make you a freak, it just makes you different. Or uh, something like that, I guess," he said lamely after a few moments of silence.
They padded along in silence once again, no response being given to his explanation. The warmth of Hibari's fingers brushed over the back of Kousaku's hand. He glanced over at the boy, his annoyed glare being met with an expression belying innocence. Kousaku pointedly shoved his hands in his pockets. Must that boy always be teasing him? As they reached the door of their destination, Hibari said one tiny phrase, so quiet Kousaku nearly missed it.
"Thank you."
They stepped into the dining room together, Tsugumi and Tsubame already were seated, conversation halting when they'd entered the room. Suzume on the other hand seemed quite excited to the two, at least, in her own way.
"Kousaku! Why do you alwayyyysss take so long? I almost perished!" she lamented, giving him a perfect impression of an angry chihuahua. He couldn't help but snort, rolling his eyes at the little one.
"Right, my apologies for the extra two minutes." Kousaku snarked, giving her a playful smile as he took his seat. Just like their first dinner, Hibari sat down next to him.
Hibari leaned towards Suzume in a conspiratorial manner, a roguish smirk adorning his face. speaking in a stage whisper, he replied to his younger sister, "It's my fault, I kept distracting him when we were studying."
"Hibari!" the simultaneous exclamations of Kousaku and Tsubame rang out, the former flushing at the words. Distraction was one way to put it, torture was another. Kousaku did his best not to think about soft lips caressing his cheek. Hibari laughed openly, sitting upright once again. For the first time since his initial night here, everyone was present at dinner. With the exception, Kousaku noted, of Spartan Dragon. His eyes widened a fraction. How had he forgotten to tell Hibari about the mafia man?
Ibari sat at the head of the table, looking disgruntled at the interaction but holding his tongue for now.
"Well," Ibari gruffly said, "I guess we can go ahead and dish up."
Suzume let out a cheer, already filling her plate.
It was a few quiet moments as everyone acquired their dinner, the focus being solely on the meal. For moments all that was heard was the clinking of cutlery. Seiji had outdone himself, the wonderful dishes were, as always, delicious. Moments later, Tsugumi spoke up.
"Kousaku, when are you planning to stop by and see my art? Are you avoiding me?" she asked, giving him a playful smirk. He could see where Hibari learned it, that was for sure.
He finished the bite he'd been chewing, speaking after he'd swallowed.
"Of course I'm not ignoring you! I must have forgotten, I'm sorry. How about this weekend?" he asked, giving her a genuine smile. They hadn't talked much in the last few days, Tsugumi tending to be in her own space and Kousaku too busy with schoolwork, but she'd always been kind in every interaction they'd had. Well, nearly every one.
"I presume you're still not willing to model for me au natural?" she teased, laughing at his beat red expression.
"Oh don't start that joke again! Let it die! I'm a freshman!" he groaned, dropping his head into his hands. Hibari laughed good naturedly next to him, Tsubame even giggling a little. It was nice, everyone seemed comfortable. Kousaku brought it upon himself to keep conversation flowing.
"Well the week is almost up, any fun plans for the weekend?" he asked Tsugumi.
She gave him a broad smile, nodding.
"Nothing worth mentioning, not outside of a bit of work I need to finish that is," she said, resting her chin on her palm, "What about you? Made any new friends? I'm sure you could take Tsubame here on a date."
Tsubame flushed, smacking her sister on the arm, "Don't even joke about that! I don't need rumours starting around school."
"She's just acting mad so she doesn't have to admit her feelings," Hibari chimed in with a sing-song voice.
"That isn't true! You know it's not!" Tsubame huffed, cheeks reddening further.
"Now, now. Stop teasing your sister," Ibari spoke up, giving a calm smile. He sat back in the silence, twirling his mustache as though in thought.
"Though you could do far worse than young Kousaku," he mused, eyes alight with amusement.
Simultaneous shouts of "Dad!" from Tsubame and "Ibari!" from Kousaku merely caused more laughter around the table.
"I'm sorry Kousaku, I had to tease," Ibari said after everyone quieted down, "has the first week gone well? Anything not to your liking?"
Kousaku smiled appreciatively, nodding his thanks, "Yes sir, everything has been great. Thank you for your hospitality."
Ibari's eyes narrowed, annoyance coloring his tone, "What did I say about calling me sir? You don't work for me, don't call me like I'm some superior."
"R-right," Kousaku cringed under the man's harsh gaze. How could one man always be so intimidating?
"A-anyways," Kousaku tried again, turning towards Suzume, "How was school today?"
Suzume just seemed all the more excited about the conversation, quickly devolving into an in depth explanation of the politics of second grade recess. Her exuberance never failed to make Kousaku smile.
"It's just stupid that Chisako gets to claim the left swing ev-er-y day!" the young girl snapped, stabbing a potato with vengeance.
"That does sound oh so unfair," Hibari lamented, leaning forward on his palm, "Maybe she steals it from you because she's jealous of you!"
Suzume paused mid-rant, giving Hibari an inquisitive look, squinting her eyes cutely. Kousaku smiled at her reaction, shaking his head at the absurdity of the conversation.
"Jealous of what? That I get better test grades?" Suzume asked, "I doubt it! She makes fun of me for it! Saying I'm just a stupid smarty pants."
"Well that's quite the oxymoron," Kousaku muttered.
"A what?" Suzume replied, confused.
Kousaku started just slightly, surprised that his comment was heard.
"It's an er- like, opposites!" he said, trying his best to explain the comment. Hibari rolled his eyes, placing a free hand on Kousaku's. He felt himself flush at the contact, subtly trying to pull his hand free while HIbari spoke,
"What dear Kousaku is trying to say is that an Oxymoron is a phrase that uses exact opposites to describe something. Like jumbo shrimp." he spoke calmly and clearly, giving Kousaku a look out of the corner of his eye.
"R-right," Kousaku cleared his throat, slipping his hand from under Hibari's, "because jumbo means big while shrimp means small in some contexts. So while jumbo shrimp makes sense, it also sounds a bit funny, doesn't it?"
Suzume sat back, a thoughtful expression adorning her face. After a few seconds, she nodded, smiling broadly, "I got it! Like calling someone pretty ugly!"
"You're so smart suzume!" praised Hibari.
It really was wonderful for Kousaku to be around everyone, the positive atmosphere something he couldn't help but relax into like a warm blanket. The Oozora household could be chaotic at times. Today proved that if any. But they were a family. Disjunct sometimes? Of course. Being among them though was a comfort he'd missed from being around his mom. The meals they'd share every night were never that complex, but always so delicious. She was fiery and fun, always teasing him about girls at school or encouraging him to spend time with friends. Sometimes he'd hear her at this dinner, in the laugh of Tsugumi or the teasing reprimand of Ibari.
Kousaku glanced down at his plate, feeling his breath speeding up again. It'd been two weeks already, what was wrong with him? The food in front of him didn't seem so appetizing now. He slipped his hands into his lap, doing his best not to think about it- about her. Push it down for now. He could work through it later. He took one deep breath. Two. The knot in his chest tightened, tighter than he expected for such an errant thought. With each breath though it decreased, loosening slowly. How could he keep being so weak? Crying wouldn't bring her back. He had to be strong.
He spoke in a voice much calmer than he felt, directing as neutral a gaze as he could muster to Ibari, "Would it be alright if I'm excused? I have a couple more things to prepare for my exam tomorrow."
If Ibari suspected anything, he didn't say a word, merely giving Kousaku a bright smile and nodding.
"Always so studious! Make sure to relax this weekend to make up for it!" the man said brightly.
Kousaku gave a weak smile in response, rising quickly and leaving the room. He could feel Hibari's eyes on his back as he retreated, doing his best to ignore it. Faintly, the voice of Tsubame saying something to her dad cut off with the door shutting behind him. Walking the hallways at night always felt a little bit different, especially when alone. The turning corridors felt much more secluded and claustrophobic. Without really realizing it, he found himself outside, standing before the statues in the courtyard.
The cold air was refreshing against his skin, not realizing how warm he'd felt inside. The sound of the water softly burbling swelled around him. He took a deep breath, letting the cool silence wash over him. Gently, slowly, he sat down onto the earth beneath his feet. His heart rate began to slow, the knot's coil growing looser, but as always, ever present.
Time passed in the near silence, the water's motion and a few insects chirping by the only interlude. In the quiet, the sound of gravel crunching beneath a shoe was like the slamming of a door, Kousaku turning his head to see who had come.
He was surprised to see Tsubame standing there in the moonlight, dark hair shining like onyx. She shifted from foot to foot, clasping her hands softly.
"Kousaku?" she asked tentatively. He did his best to play off the situation, rising to his feet.
"Oh! Hey Tsubame," he said in a voice much more cheerful than he felt. It sounded hollow to his ears, but it was better than nothing. "Sorry, I just needed some fresh air."
He gave a confident smile, walking her way. She watched him for a moment, searching his eyes for… something. It only lasted a second before Tsubame tentatively returned his smile with a shy one of her own.
"Sorry for um, interrupting," she said, looking away as he approached, "I was going to check your room but noticed you out the window."
He laughed, holding up his hands to dissuade her apology, "Don't worry about it! You don't need to worry about me, I'm all good."
The more he said it, the easier it was to believe.
In the quiet night, the two walked back inside side by side. No words were exchanged as they walked, though he caught her glancing at him several times on the journey. Someone had shut off the lights, the hallway illuminated only by the reflection of moonlight cascading from the courtyard.
"Are you much of a stargazer?" Tsubame's question caught him off guard. It definitely wasn't what he expected from her. He shrugged his shoulders.
"To be honest I hadn't really thought about it. I guess so though, at least I'd say the stars are a nice place to find peace," he said, glancing at her from the corner of his eye, "what about you? Got a telescope tucked in your room somewhere?"
He laughed, nudging her with his shoulder. The moment here next to her felt like a different world from the emotions outside. It was like a blanket lay between those two halves, the Kousaku who had lost everything, and the one who was just learning what he'd gained.
She gave a small giggle, shaking her head, "I definitely don't qualify as an astronomer, but I can appreciate their beauty nonetheless. I guess I've just been too busy with everything to just go sit out and relax like that for a while."
"School sucks, huh?" Kousaku replied, giving a playful smirk at her. She rolled her eyes, nodding anyway.
"It's not even the academics if I'm being honest! It's all the people, always so stressful… I think I'd love it a thousand times more if I was just the only student in the classroom, you know? It takes up so much energy thinking 'what do I wear' or 'is he looking at me or the classmate behind me?'," she said, eyes filling with a heat he could relate to. She always seemed so nervous everywhere she went, it made Kousaku feel downright confident in comparison. Either way, he nodded his agreement. Who would have thought she would end up being the one to vent? She continued after a moment.
"I just… hate all the expectations and attention," Tsubame stated, wringing her hands in front of her, "Er- sorry, guess I got a bit carried away huh?" she gave a small chuckle, looking bashful.
Kousaku shrugged, giving her a soft smile, "You're fine, I can relate on hating the attention. There's this guy in my class who always makes a point to be an ass to me even though I've done nothing! Like why of all people would I be his target? He's just… just such a dick!"
He grumbled, rolling his eyes. He'd expected her to laugh, maybe crack some joke at his expense, but no reaction even close came. Her expression closed off.
"His name is Shiina, isn't it?" she queried, "part of the boxing club right?"
Kousaku nodded, surprised that word of the boy had reached the upper years.
"Sorry, he's just pretty well known for.. Well… his crush on Hibari," she said, looking uncomfortable. She wouldn't meet his gaze as she continued, "I just wish that jerk would lay low. It's bad enough he goes out you know, like that, but why does he always have to drag us into it?"
Kousaku didn't know what to say. He glanced away from Tsubame, focusing on the light streaming in from the courtyard. The moonlight illuminated the hardwood of the floor, making the polished boards shine like steel. He could see her point, to a degree. Hibari did tend to end up in the limelight a lot after all, and to give Tsubame credit, that fact alone tended to drag some of that attention onto those around the boy. But it just didn't sit right to blame his troubles with Shiina on his housemate. Hibari didn't make Shiina act the way he did, his personality did that all on his own. The seconds seemed to creep by, punctuated by the soft padding of their feet on the heavy floor beneath them.
"..Anyways, I have a more positive note!" Tsubame said after a few minutes, cheeks flushing a soft red, "I asked dad about this weekend. He made fun of me but said it's fine if we go to a cafe Saturday if you'd like. Y'know, to celebrate a great first week and my paper! Like we talked about on the walk. When we were coming home from school."
Kousaku gave a warm smile at her stumbling words. That was a nice change of topic. Her dad must've given her a hard time about it to get her this worked up. No matter how long they'd talked she still always held some nervousness, as though he may bite. Either way, he laughed and nodded happily. As they approached his room he replied, previous melancholy all but forgotten.
"Alright, sounds like a plan. I'll look forward to it!" he said cheerfully.
"Right. Cool! Goodnight!" Tsubame replied, giving him a dazzling smile in response before darting down the hallway towards her own room.
He shook his head in amusement. For a girl that supposedly liked to keep a low profile, she was always so excitable. Well at least on certain topics. It did help take his mind off of that though, so he was grateful. Plus it could be fun to head out. He hadn't seen much of Tokyo outside of school after all. He opened the door, softly smiling to himself only to stop short suddenly at the sight that greeted him. In the darkened space, Hibari lay in his bed, golden hair illuminated into a platinum ocean cascading across Kousaku's pillow. His brain short circuited.
He blinked once, twice, almost surprised to see this wasn't his imagination.
"Hibari!" Kousaku whispered sharply, "Hibari, what are you doing?!"
He glanced nervously out into the hall, relieved to see Tsubame's door shutting behind her. The last thing he needed right now was a misunderstanding with her, especially after some of the previous heat. Shutting the door behind him soundly, Kousaku strode further into his room, approaching the bed with faux confidence. If Hibari had heard him, he made no motion to acknowledge him or move.
"Hibari!" Kousaku repeated in a slightly louder voice. The slumbering stowaway merely shifted in his sleep. Dammit! He'd even tucked himself under the covers! Kousaku swore under his breath. Kousaku had never owned a cat, but he couldn't help but imagine it'd be something similar to dealing with Hibari. Fed up, Kousaku reached down and shook the boy's shoulder through the fabric of the comforter, whispering his name once again.
Slowly, like a flower blooming in dawn, Hibari's eyes fluttered open bleary and unfocused. He blinked, once, twice. Two small hands snuck their way out of the blankets to rub tired eyes. How was Kousaku supposed to react in a situation like this?! Finally the beautiful chocolate irises drew attention to Kousaku.
Hibari's expression shifted from sleepiness to happiness with the swiftness of molasses, the smile creeping up her face as she observed him. Even in the dimly lit room it was dazzling.
"Kousaku dear," she mumbled, sounding far too pleased for Kousaku's taste. He flushed at the pet name, doing his best to sound stern.
"Hibari. Get out of my bed!" He spoke sharply, still keeping his voice as low as he could. In his time at the house, he'd learned the hard way just how well sound travelled through the walls.
Hibari observed him, placing a finger against her lips as though in contemplation. Not a moment later her mesmerizing eyes shut firmly. The errant roommate buried herself further into his blankets, pulling them over her head.
"Don't wanna" she sighed.
Kousaku pinched the bridge of his nose, annoyance starting to bubble beneath the surface. He tried shaking her again to no avail. The largest reaction he'd gotten was her rolling away from him, pulling the blankets up around her like a big burrito. At wit's end, Kousaku rashly reached forward, yanking the blankets from the resting form of Hibari. She moaned in annoyance, rolling over to reach for them.
Kousaku flushed heavily, only now noting that she was wearing her typical night clothes. A nightie. A far too short nightie that revealed pale shoulders and far too much leg. For being flat chested, Kousaku noted, she really had beautiful curves. He looked away sharply, uncertain how to proceed. Just what was wrong with him?!
"Hibari, I'm not kidding! Get out of my- oof!" he exclaimed in shock.
In his lapse of attention on the sleeping vagrant, she'd reached out and snagged his arm, pulling him bodily onto the bed. Why was she like this? Why couldn't she just stop teasing him?
"I don't wannaaa," Hibari whined cutely, tired chocolate eyes locking onto Kousaku's hazel ones. Her pout was unlike anything he'd ever seen. He felt paralyzed under her gaze, those beautiful pupils mere inches from his, her tantalizing lips well within reach, "Just sleep here with me, there's room…"
Kousaku pushed himself away, heart beating far faster than comfortable. Not a girl, not a girl, not a girl. He breathed, cycling his old mantra. He'd forgotten again for a minute. It was so easy to do with Hibari. Kousaku shook his head, doing his best to chase the thoughts of how soft her- his skin felt under his hands, or how he could reach out and just envelop- Fuck. Stupid hormonal teen brain!
"H-hibari!" he snapped again, the cracking of his voice betraying his nervousness, "You need to get out. Now. Think of how this looks! Two guys can't do this kind of stuff!"
"So much whining,," Hibari mumbled, slowly shifting upright. He rubbed his eyes tiredly, crossing his legs beneath himself. Kousaku absolutely did not look at the way Hibari's gown slipped over his shoulder.
"Don't act so casually after sneaking into my room!" he snapped, relieved that Hibari was finally awake enough to stop messing with him.
"I was waiting," Hibari said, yawning heavily, "Not my fault you took so long. And your bed is comfy. And smells so good. How could I resist a nap?"
Smells? Kousaku coughed lightly, averting his gaze from the boy across from him. If this kept up he'd be permanently red. Hibari always knew precisely how to get under his skin.
"Look," he replied carefully, pointedly ignoring Hibari's first comment, "I appreciate you wanting to look out for me and stuff, but you can't just crawl into my bed!"
"It was unoccupied," replied Hibari nonchalantly.
"That's not the problem here and you know it!" Kousaku snapped back.
Hibari shrugged, eyeing Kousaku up and down, "So how're you doing? It's not like you to sneak out of dinner early."
Hibari had completely blown off his comment. He groaned in frustration. As much as it infuriated Kousaku, it didn't seem like pursuing the matter any longer would accomplish much. If he'd learned one thing in his few days here, it was that if Hibari wanted to do something, he would. But more pressing, the last thing Kousaku wanted to do right now was talk about all that. He'd finally gotten in a good mood again! Why were these two always so damn caring? He shook his head, trying his best to sound as aloof as Hibari looked.
"Oh y'know, same old same old. I just needed some air," he replied, giving a convincing smile.
The deadpan expression that greeted his remark could've been carved from marble. He felt his palms begin to sweat under the wooden stare Hibari had leveled at him.
"Okay I wasn't fine but I am now, better?" he finally lamented.
Hibari reached out one handed, patting Kousaku on the cheek.
"Good boy. You're learning!" The dazzling smile he gave brightened the room. How in the world could Hibari's hands always be so soft? "I'm just going to assume from the deflection that you'd rather not talk about it right now?"
Kousaku nodded, relieved at the understanding expression shot his way.
"Then I won't press. But don't forget that you don't have to bear your burdens alone." Hibari said. His eyes filled with warmth at the words, a comforting, small smile resting lazily upon his lips. Kousaku looked away hastily, hoping against all hope the dim moonlight didn't reveal the blush crawling up his neck.
"Y-yeah," he stuttered out, nodding rapidly.
Silence reigned for two minutes. He knew that because he'd kept his eyes on the clock, distinctly uncomfortable. It was… weird having someone this caring nearby. It didn't make matters any easier that it was Hibari of all people. To say how he felt was an enigma would be an understatement, the boy currently in his bed truly left Kousaku in a whirlwind of emotions every time. He finally looked up, almost jumping when they made eye contact.
Hibari sat there, cheek resting on his hand. Those expressive eyes of his were glued on Kousaku. Just how long had he been staring? As they made eye contact, the soft smile morphed into a playful smirk. The bright warmth in Hibari's eyes sharpened into a predatory gleam. Kousaku flushed once again, gulping audibly.
"Er- well would you look at the time! It's past 10! Suuuper late right? I uh, I should be getting to sleep, gotta be well rested for school and all that!" his voice squeaked. Squeaked! He flushed, doing his best to keep it together. Hibari was just staring after all, right? His thoughts felt so jumbled, if only he could just keep his heart from racing-
"Okay, I'll head to bed then," Hibari's voice cut through his frantic thoughts like a hot knife in butter. His head shot up, completely caught off guard by her not pushing the limit or teasing him like she oh so loved to do.
Her predatory smirk was gone. In fact, her whole demeanor had changed. Idly she fixed the strap of her nightdress that had fallen down, giving one big stretch before hopping up.
"I'll see you in the morning, yeah?" she asked, glancing over her shoulder to look at Kousaku.
He nodded dumbly, ignoring the thudding in his chest. Even the way she walked was delicate, he noted. Soft, light steps that moved with grace. Kousaku ripped his eyes from the motion of her legs as she neared the door separating their rooms. She opened it, giving him a bright smile and a small wave as she stepped through.
"Sweet dreams Kousaku," she spoke, the timbre of her voice like a symphony.
"Y-you too," he said, holding up a hand in a wave as the door clacked shut behind her.
"...if this is some kind of joke I'll kill you!" the feminine shout cut Kousaku's dreams like a knife. His eyes slammed open, nearly jumping out of his skin at the noise. It took a minute for his heart rate to slow and his head to dust out the last mites of sleep, but the slamming of the door did plenty to fully rouse him. It sounded next door, in Hibari's room. But quickly the reverberation of angry footsteps approached the separating door, slamming it open.
Hibari stood there in a way Kousaku had never seen him. He still wore the nightie from last night, but his face, oh, his face. Hibari's chocolate eyes were filled with a foreign, panicked look Kousaku had never seen before. His breathing was fast and erratic; his cheeks blotchy and red. It was the first time he'd ever seen Hibari look anything but perfect. Had he been crying?
Kousaku didn't know what to say, merely watching as the other boy closed his eyes, taking deep, shaky breaths, one after another. Without really thinking Kousaku pulled himself from his bed, taking tentative steps to Hibari. He placed a hand on his housemate's shoulder, wincing at the flinch he garnered in response.
"Hey," he said finally, "you alright?"
It was a stupid question, he knew that. Clearly everything wasn't alright. But a part of him wanted to provide that same level of support Hibari did for him. Either way, his words seemed to stir something in the boy.
Hibari lurched forward, all but squeezing the breath out of him with the tightness of her hug. Whatever reaction he'd expected, this wasn't it. Kousaku froze in response, arm wide. Before had even fully processed that she was latched onto him or that he was still shirtless from sleeping, he'd been released.
He did his best to push down his own embarrassment, shifting his weight slightly from one leg to the other. He took a tentative step away, picking up a shirt from the hamper and donning it as Hibari spoke up. Her voice wavered with each syllable, her usual aloof confidence nowhere to be found.
"I-I'm sorry for barging in," she started, wrapping her arms around herself. She looked so small, so fragile, "and for, for all that."
Kousaku shrugged lamely, walking over to his bed. He wasn't good at this kind of stuff, dammit. He sat down, patting the spot next to him. It wasn't like Hibari to apologize like this.
"It's…" he swallowed heavily, "It's fine. Wanna talk about what's up?" he asked.
Hibari seemed hesitant at first but slowly approached and dropped herself next to him heavily. She sat with more distance than he was used to from her. Not a single bit of her teasing demeanor remained. She sat in silence for a few moments, fidgeting with her hands in her lap. Her eyes were puffy and she seemed to be avoiding his eyes.
"I," she started, only to pause. Kousaku reached out and patted her on the shoulder. He felt sweaty, uncomfortable. Either way his touch seemed to bolster her confidence.
"What happened?" Kousaku asked softly.
He could feel her take a deep breath, then a second. After what felt like minutes, she spoke up in that same quiet voice.
"Everything's gone Kousaku," she said softly. What? He couldn't hide his shock at her statement, staying silent as she continued, "All of my clothes. Every. Single. Piece. Why would someone take my clothes?" she asked in a pleading tone, the hurt clear in her voice.
What?