Author: Hareta
Rating: PG-13 to be safe...
Genre/s: Humor/Angst (???)
Summary: Winning at the Butoukan Cup, the Tobita team is now qualified to join the Asian Cup! At Kaoru's prodding, the boys relented to holding a victory party at Kyousuke's house, with the gearmaster dreading the very idea for some weird phobia he got out of a similar party before. He soon forgets it as things get wild that night...and then Kaoru comes, bringing with her something that will give the rest of poor Kuroudo's evening a bittersweet twist...
Dedication: This is to yuki-chan, one of the reviewers of my previous CGT fic, Pretense. Flames don't bother me (cause I have received too many of them to care anymore) but they do give me the writer's blocks whenever I remember them. So thanks for your message. It cheered me up a lot!
Disclaimers: Standard Disclaimers Applied. I don't own CGT, its characters, gears, and other elements, and can anyone please tell me who does? I really have no clue as to who its creator is...
Notes: Another wild fic, focusing on Kyousuke and Kuroudo again (deliberate shounen-ai this time, be warned), and as senseless as the previous one. By the way, you'll notice that I've used a different writing technique in this fic (I've lossened up a bit), as well as it is relatively shorter than Pretense. If it's not too much of a bother, please tell me which style is better either via review or e-mail and I'll use it in my CGT fics hereafter. Oh, and since this is my second CGT fic, yes, you may now proceed to tying me to a stake like a witch and burn me alive with your flames. LOL
Part 3 : The reason...
"It's you."
"Good evening to you too. For once, you've actually opened the door yourself," Kuroudo replied, ignoring the flat tone Kyousuke used on him. Giving the gearmaster the once-over, he stepped inside and closed the door shut behind him. "Are the others here yet?" he asked.
"No, you're the first to arrive," Kyousuke answered, already walking away. Kuroudo sighed and shrugged the black leather jacket off his shoulders, hanging it off the back of a nearby chair, and followed the gearmaster to his workroom.
"Don't worry about it too much, Kyousuke," he said as he entered the room, finding the black-haired boy in front of his desk per usual with him, reading something on the computer screen Kuroudo couldn't see.
"Worry about what?" Kyousuke asked lightly as if he really didn't know and didn't care to find out.
"You know what I mean." Kuroudo walked forward and kneeled down beside the gearmaster. "The same thing is hardly likely to happen again, you know."
"I don't. We don't have the stuff here in the house but we both know that there's the chance Kaoru'll bring it," Kyousuke answered stiffly.
"She might but you know Jirou and Kouya, they'll never be able to do those things," Kuroudo insisted as Kyousuke finally turned on his seat to face him.
"We never thought our teammates could do those things either!" he exclaimed, choking back a sob as tears started to pool in his eyes.
"But I know I won't be able to," Kuroudo told him firmly, looking at him intently. "I'm with you this time and I won't let it happen again. I'll protect you. I promise."
"Kuroudo..." Kyousuke trailed off. He was about to say something else but the sound of the doorbell cut him off.
"Must be Kouya. I'll go get it," Kuroudo said, drying the other's tears with his handkerchief before standing up and walking out of the room.
[Flashback]
"Cheers!"
The room was dimly lit but otherwise airy, a circular table standing in the middle loaded with snack foods and several bottles of champagne - some open, others not. Bean bag chairs of different colors surrounded the small table, each occupied by a key member of the Griffon team, except one. Kyousuke sipped at the sparkling wine in his glass and glanced wistfully at the violet seat next to his, it was still empty.
"It's sure taking him long to get here," a voice said from his other side. He didn't even bother to look at the person, just shook his head and sighed.
Kuroudo called him earlier that night and told him he will have to go to the party alone, that he won't be able to meet up with him as they had planned because of some task he had to do. Kyousuke had begged his best friend to reconsider and he relented, saying he'll try to catch up but will surely be late. But it's already three hours into the celebration and still h-
"Marume is sure missing the fun though."
The sound of a bottle being uncorked pulled Kyousuke out of his musings and he looked up, seeing one of his teammates pouring out champagne to the others. He still hasn't finished his first glass while the rest of them have drunk their way through a number of bottles. Besides the fact that he wasn't so much of a drinker to begin with, the gearmaster wasn't exactly feeling festive without his best friend around.
"Kyousuke, what are you doing, just staring off into space like that?" Kesuya, one of his teammates, jeered. "Come on! Finish that glass and have another shot, gearmaster!"
Kyousuke shook his head but did what he was told. Kesuya was already half-drunk, he obviously only half-knew what he was saying. Before he realized it though, his wineglass was filled to the brim again and almost all of the Griffon was staring at him expectantly, many of them already intoxicated.
"Drink it!"
Not even knowing from who it came from, and stunned with such hostility in one of his teammates' voice, Kyousuke followed the order quickly, emptying his glass in one gulp.
"Woo-hoo! Go, Kyousuke!" they cheered, finishing their own drinks. Attention was shifted away from him as another bottle was opened, and then another and another. By now, the whole team was drunk except for Kyousuke and Mitsuke. The brunette opened the last of the champagne and the gear master found himself the center of attention again.
"Come on, gear master, drink up!"
"Kyousuke, stop being such a party-pooper and have some fun!
"Tch. Just because Marume isn't here..."
That clinched it in. He shot up to his feet and threw the glass down to the carpeted floor - luckily, it didn't break - glaring at all of them. They were all...unfocused. That was the only word Kyousuke could find to describe them. "You're all drunk!" he shouted.
"No, we're not," someone said, no, slurred, picking his discarded glass up. It was soon filled with alcohol again and being pushed against his chest.
He slapped it away and seconds after was when the first blow got him. Kyousuke clutched at his middle on instinct and doubled over on the floor. Someone kicked down on the small of his back and he was forced to lie flat on his stomach with a cry of pain.
"Itai! Yamero! (Ow! Stop!)" he shouted, closing his eyes as more kicks followed the first one. Then someone grabbed him by the collar and pulled him to his feet. When he opened his eyes he only saw Kesuya's glazed over ones before feeling a fist come in contact with his left cheek that sent him flying.
"Oof!" Kyousuke groaned in pain as he curled up into a ball the moment he landed, his teammates already lumbering towards him. "Mitsuke, taskete! (Mitsuke, help!)" he called to his friend, but saw almost instantly the sleeping form on one of the bean bags next to his green one.
His view was rudely blocked off by a pair of legs, one of which kicked him in the side. He only managed to wince in pain before multiple punches and kicks rained down on his small body, one that hit the middle of his chest knocking the wind out of him.
Then he heard a distant noise, a door opening, and then an indistinct but evidently stunned and alarmed shout. Kyousuke squinted up at the shadows that still loomed over him - his glasses have been knocked off moments ago - and whispered something with a small smile before passing out into the darkness from lack of air.
"Kuroudo..."
[End Flashback]
to be continued...
