One Up
Chapter Three: Talking in your sleep
Notes: Again, I'm so very sorry for taking so long in updating. Entirely too much has gone on, and to beh honest, I only write for this ficceh when I get really angsty. It's been awhile since I've had anything TO write on this, hence the hiatus. But here goes the next piece!
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Even after everything that the day before had brought, Tenpou did not refuse Kenren's invitation to go out that night. It wasn't in the gensui's nature to bluntly come out and say anything was bothering him. If Kenren didn't notice it, it was his fault all the more. The night had gone smoothly, especially compared to how things had gone the past few days. Kenren didn't bring anyone else, and the conversation stayed away from any potential love interests and dates. Tenpou had an almost good time, except for that nagging voice in the back of his head.
Kenren had been mildly annoyed upon seeing Gojun in Tenpou's office when he arrived, but this minor detail hadn't spoiled the good mood he was in. It had been awhile since they went out, and he enjoyed it.
Tenpou had almost managed to forget the past week of frustration, and when Kenren asked him to come back with him to the taisho's room, it was accepted good-naturedly.
There were –some- things at least, that kept his mind off that nagging voice.
Tenpou had been asleep, lying peacefully next to Kenren, when the taisho's movement awakened him. He didn't open his eyes, however, or give any sign that he was awake. He heard a knock at the door, most likely for the second time, and Kenren getting up to answer it. The brunette almost moved, attempting not to be seen by whomever was at the door, but thought better of it; let Kenren try to explain the mess. It was very late to have visitors at any rate…
The voice that sounded after the door opened was definitely female. That girl he kept going out with, but Tenpou couldn't remember her name. He mused absently that if this girl was such an obstacle for him, he really should make a note to remember her name.
But it was her, nonetheless. She asked to come inside, and Kenren agreed. The door shut behind her. She took a seat in the small foyer-like space Kenren had set up as a living room of sorts. There was only a doorway separating the two of them, and the bedroom where Tenpou lay still.
She must have noticed him, because she asked about him. "Is this a bad time?"
"Nah," Kenren replied. "We just went out and he got a little drunk. His place is farther away, so I'm letting him sleep it off here."
Tenpou almost yelled in indignance. Only sheer curiosity kept him silent.
"So what brings you here?"
She hesitated. "I…was wondering about what you said the other day."
What he said? If the gensui was interested before, this statement compounded it ten times.
"What about it?" Kenren asked casually.
Tenpou could hear the embarrassment in her voice. "Well, I was wondering about your um…him."
"Tenpou? Oh, we're nothing serious. We agreed on it," was he imagining things, or did he detect a hint of something sad in his tone? "Does it bother you?"
"Oh! Well, not in the way you're expecting…"
"Then how?"
"I—" she stopped, considering her words. "It's a bit embarrassing, all this."
"Not really."
"…Never mind."
"What?"
He heard her shake her head.
"Nope, you started it, now you've got to tell me." There was amusement in his voice.
She laughed a bit. "Says who?"
"Says me!"
She yelped, and Tenpou chanced an eye open to see what happened. Kenren's face was at the girl's neck. He squeezed his eyes shut once more, making himself stay silent.
"Wait…"
"Hmm?"
She had guilt in her voice now. "Don't you think this is wrong?"
"Don't worry about it. I've cleared everything with him already. So unless it bothers you too much, then there's no problem."
It took everything in the gensui's power not to scream at the moment. However, he had always been good at biting his tongue, and now was the time when this paid off. Instead, he waited, while the conversation turned to other things, more trivial. He started to get impatient. He wanted to know more about what Kenren thought of their relationship. So he shifted, pretending it was a sleeping movement. He knew both of them turned to look. He lie still again, slowing his breathing as much as possible.
His plan hadn't worked, however. Kenren returned his focus to the girl, thinking Tenpou still asleep. "Would you like to go somewhere?"
"I suppose that'd be alright."
Tenpou lie still as Kenren came back into the room to change. He pulled a blanket carefully over the gensui before turning out the light and returning to the waiting woman. He listened to them leave, not moving for a few minutes after that, in case they came back. Once he was sure they had gone, he got up, collected his things, and left as well.
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"Where'd you go last night?" Tenpou asked lightly.
Kenren turned to face him, eyes widening slightly before smiling. "Sorry about that. Something came up and I had to leave right away. You looked to cute sleeping I didn't wanna wake you up."
"Oh," he smiled on the outside, but glared inside. "Sorry I didn't stay either."
"That's okay. I figured you got up early and left."
"Yeah," he muttered absently. "Something like that…"
Kenren, satisfied with the conversation, returned his focus to Goku. The gensui had agreed to take the boy for the day, allowing Konzen to get some work caught up. Kenren complained, saying it was too nice a day to have him cooped up in Tenpou's stuffy library, so they took a trip outside. The adults sat under a tree, while Goku ran around playing in the fields.
"So, what was it?"
"Huh?"
"Your business," Tenpou prompted, sounding for all the world good-natured, "What came up last night? It must have been important to get the taisho out of bed."
"Oh yeah," Kenren waved a hand dismissively, "New recruits, discipline problems, y'know."
Tenpou nodded. So much for catching the taisho straight out.
Goku ran up to them, holding a large handful of wildflowers, smiling. "Hey Ten-chan! Kennii-chan! Lookit! I've got a whole bunch of them for Konzen to put in his office! The last ones I gave him died, so now he can have some new ones!"
Tenpou smiled, nodding. Konzen always put the flowers Goku gave him on his desk…despite Kannon-san's remarks about them.
"Are you ready to head back, Goku?"
He nodded. "Yeah. I wanna give these to Konzen right away!"
"Excuse me…" a small voice came from the other side of the tree they were standing against. She was standing there, arms behind her back and smiling shyly.
Kenren looked from her to Tenpou, then back to her. "Hey Ten, you guys go ahead. I'll catch up with you in a minute."
Tenpou watched as Kenren went to her, leaning against the tree once more. Then he turned around with an indignant huff, and took Goku by the hand, leading him away.
He took Goku back to Konzen's office, slightly faster than he meant to. Goku didn't seem to mind, however, and matched the quickened pace of the gensui as best as he could. The blond kami was at his desk when they entered, the boy running up to his guardian and giving him the flowers. Konzen told him to go fill up the glass he normally kept them in with water, and the brunette rushed off to comply.
The two said nothing for a moment. Finally, Konzen looked up at him, minor curiosity on his face. "You're angry."
Tenpou nodded, adverting his eyes.
"Good, I didn't want to hear it anyways," he looked back down at his work. "Probably something to do with that stupid taisho."
Tenpou rolled his eyes. "However did you guess?"
"Well, keep it to yourself. Or at least away from me. I've got enough to worry about."
"I wouldn't want to trouble you."
Konzen didn't reply. Tenpou took that as his cue to leave, turning sharply and heading back out into the hall.
He turned the corner slower, at a more sluggish pace than he'd gone before. He saw Kenren there, turning the corner opposite him down the hall. He was still talking to her. Tenpou ducked back behind the hall he'd come from, before they caught sight of him. Then he broke out into a run down that hall.
He wasn't aware of where he was going, just so it was away from those two. Away from them because every time he saw them together, something inside him twisted. Before he thought it was jealousy. But now he wasn't so sure, and that's what upset him the most.
He was running blindly, so it was no surprise when he collided with someone. He was surprised at who it was.
"In a hurry?" Gojun asked with a slight smirk, steadying himself after the collision.
"Oh, my apologies. I wasn't watching…"
"Obviously. Is something wrong?" the white-haired man looked curiously at the gensui, as if sensing his inner turmoil.
"It's…nothing."
"I'm sure."
He heard footsteps coming around the corner. Kenren and his new interest. He should leave, he thought, leave and keep running, and not let Kenren find him for a while.
The voice in his head, however, was currently being fueled by something other than common sense.
It was there Tenpou decided. He knew it wasn't the best approach to this problem, and he knew it wouldn't help things in the end. Nevertheless, he also knew that turnabout was fair play, and that Kenren deserved a shock of his own.
He waited until he was sure Kenren could see them. "Gojun?"
Gojun, who had turned to glare at the taisho, now looked back at him.
"Please don't hit me for this."
Before he had time to respond, Tenpou pushed the dragon officer against the wall, kissing him hard.
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OMAKE BREAKTIME!
Kenren: WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!
Gojun:grinning dizzily: Whoo…
Tenpou: Serves you right!
Konzen: That was disturbing…
Goku: They kissed:mental trauma:
Konzen: Great. Now look at what your stupidity has done.
Kenren: WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!
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Notes: Sorry this is so short. We've reached a turning point tho. :grins: So onto the reviews!
Thorned Roses: Sorry for the wait, once again. Hopefully you're still watchin'!
Miakaghost: Thankehs! I'm glad people see it as working...despite the situation I've put them all into...
kit900: Eee...I think it's about making the author feel so bad that they update huh::grins: I'll try to get them out faster from now on, okay?
YJ: I'm on it!
Me-Nuriko: Bwaha. Stay outta my brain. Although, the thing we've got to remember, is that as Kenren sees it, that's okay, cuz they're nothingreal deep, y'know? tho he's still being kinda obvious...
Zelgadis55: Yeah. It sucks to beh the odd one out, trust meh...
Attiqua Gensui: heh.I actually love the idea of picturing Gojun as this crazed stalker type. Dunno why, cuz he's really serious I guess. As for your review, I can't defiantely remember, but I think it was because I never got through it all the way. Either that or I just couldn't find anything clever to say on chapter 4. I'll hafta recheck that!
Sorchafyre: Thankehs! I love doing dialogue, it just comes so easy to meh. I love the give-and-take in the series itself, and I try to recreate that when I can. A lot of the convo is based on actual conversations I have with my counterpart...which is kinda what this story's based on, to tell the truth.
viciouscallisto: I love setting things up and ending with a cliffhanger. That's why there'sa mob after meh. :looks suspciously:
Keruri1222: I love your reviews, Keru-san::winks: And I AM Kenren::strikes a pose: Tho in this, I'm Tenpou... Anyway, I did the omake because I can't do a serious story for too long! Hee.
Welp, until next time, I guess!