Title: Never Again
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 5 : Bittersweet Evening...
"So you guys had any fun yet? What have you been up to?"
"Oh, just plain old party games, Kaoru," Jirou answered the young girl with a shrug, walking back to his seat on the couch.
Kouya followed him and - "So what did you bring us?"
"What? Itching to get rid of me already, Kouya?" Kaoru asked, feigning annoyance. She shook her brown head and grinned, putting the plastic bags she carried down on the table. The sound of glass hitting glass didn't escape Kuroudo's ears and he blonde looked at his best friend who was then staring at the bags as if they contained vipers ready to spring out and bite him.
"So, Kaoru-"
"Oh, Kuroudo, you too?" she asked, then promptly took out the bottles of champagne and stood them single file - four in all. "No victory party is ever complete without the champagne!" she announced gleefully.
"Great! I was wondering who will think of it," Jirou said and, to the strange looks at him, added- "My old baseball team have had victory parties before, of course, and so for my former crush gear team. Like Kaoru said, it's not complete without champagne."
Kuroudo shook his head and his eyes fell on Kouya. "Kaoru, I don't think this is a good idea. We're all under-aged and-"
Kaoru's laughter cut off his words. "I happen to know, Mr. Marume, that the Griffon Team holds one of the more extravagant parties among gearfighting teams. In addition to that, my source have told me that you're one of the better drinkers."
Kuroudo would bet anything Kaoru's 'source' was Mitsuke himself, he'd seen the two talking the other day but didn't think much of it then. And he couldn't really say that what she said were lies - the Griffon Team did use to hold flashy parties, well, when he and Kyousuke were still in it, and he was...one of the better drinkers? Maybe she meant one of those who had high alcohol tolerance. He had never gotten drunk in any of those Griffon parties and was usually the one to keep the peace when the others did get drunk. That's why it bothers him so that night Kyousuke...
"Okay, okay, Jirou, I'm going. What's the hurry anyway?" cut off his thought and he snapped back to reality to see Kaoru pulling at Kouya's hand. "Kouya, don't be a jerk. See me out the door, come on."
Blushing a little, Kouya stood up and followed the girl out of the room. They were gone for awhile, and not even Kuroudo could hear what they were talking about or doing. After awhile the front door opened and closed shut and Kouya came back into the room, his face five times as red as it had been awhile ago when he stood up from the couch.
"Kouya, you look like a tomato again! What happened out there, huh?" Jirou teased, knowing all too well what 'happened out there'. It was just way too obvious on Kouya's heated face.
"Cut it out, Jirou!" Kouya told him irritably, plopping down once more on the couch. "So, shall we get things started?"
Kyousuke silently stood up and left the room.
"What's with him?" Jirou asked, turning all serious and following the gearmaster with his eyes until the small dark-haired boy disappeared into a room.
"Nothing, never mind," Kuroudo answered him rather tiredly, shaking his head. "That's the kitchens, he's probably just getting some glasses." The sound of a shelf being opened and the tinkle of drinking glasses confirmed it.
"Wow. I guess you're really been over here a lot before, Kuroudo," Kouya commented, though not at all surprised. The gearmaster and blond gearfighter had been, after all, truly the best of friends.
He nodded his head in agreement, just as Kyousuke reappeared, haphazardly carrying four wineglasses and a champagne opener at the same time. Kuroudo quickly stood up and helped him with them. As soon as everything was placed on the table, Jirou started on opening the first bottle of champagne.
"Don't worry, Kyousuke. I'm here, okay? Trust me," Kuroudo whispered.
Kyousuke audibly -for Kuroudo, that is- sighed and jerked his head a little in a hardly perceptible nod. "I trust you."
~*~
"Hey, Kouya, Kouya, wake up!"
Kuroudo smirked as a small grin spread across the gearmaster's face. Jirou was holding their team captain by the shoulder, trying to -violently- shake him awake. "Kouya, wake up!"
"He won't, Jirou, so don't bother," Kyousuke finally told him. He shook his head, partly to emphasize his words and partly to clear his fogged-up mind. Was he getting drunk?
Kuroudo took a long sip of his champagne before saying- "Will all of us have spectacular headaches tomorrow!" -as he looked down at the two empty bottles on their side somewhere near his feet.
"Yeah, well..." Jirou trailed off. He'd forgotten about that, tonight the fun and tomorrow the suffer. Though if he understood correctly what Kaoru had said about Kuroudo earlier, he'll be one who won't have a headache. For one thing, the blonde had drunk as much as him, if not more, but he seems to be still fully awake - unlike him and his quickly clouding up thoughts. How that was he wanted to know and so he asked.
"I come from France," Kuroudo answered simply, as if such gave an understandable explanation, while refilling his glass.
"Ah," Jirou replied, not at all in the condition to push the matter. He refilled his cup as well. ~*~
"Okay, we're the only two left."
Kyousuke broke off from his staring game with his reflection on the champagne in his glass and looked up at the person who said it. Kuroudo jerked his head towards the couch's direction and shifted his eyes to find Jirou sleeping peacefully beside Kouya. "Uh-hnn," he murmured, he himself sleepy and a bit dizzy. There was no doubt about it now, he was getting drunk.
"Well, let's just finish this one off," Kuroudo told him, opening the last of the champagne bottles.
Kyousuke started to wonder how in the world Kuroudo is still not drunk, but wondering made his head ache so he stopped and just nodded his response.
~*~
Kuroudo glanced at Kyousuke, the only person left awake with him. Well, not really awake. His eyes were half-lidded and hazy. Kuroudo frowned when he realized that his friend was really, totally drunk now. He looked at the bottles of champagne and saw them all empty now, finishing his glass and taking the empty one from the gearmaster's small hands. Kyousuke didn't appear to have noticed.
"Hey, Kyousuke, you alright?" he asked, nudging him a little.
Kyousuke turned to him slowly and blinked. Next thing Kuroudo knew, he was holding a crying gearmaster in his arms, his lips grazing the folds of a red bandana as the smaller boy buried his head in his chest.
"Kyousuke?"
"I hate you. I hate you, Kuroudo, I hate you!" he was screaming, intoxicated and oblivious to everything around him.
"Kyousuke..."
"I did everything for you, everything I could! But you-...you never noticed! Never! I was nothing more to you than your best friend, nothing! I--I-"
He started sobbing, shaking uncontrollably. Kuroudo wrapped his arms tighter around Kyousuke's small frame, pulling him even closer. And then the gearmaster suddenly looked up and without even a split second thought of it, Kuroudo lowered his head and met the other one's lips in a sweet kiss, one so sweet yet Kyousuke would probably not remember in the morning.
"I love you, Kuroudo," he whispered when they parted, his eyes drifting close as he fell asleep, still held by the blonde.
"I love you too, Kyousuke," Kuroudo replied, though he knows none would come out of saying it. And of course, he'll be the only one to remember everything that has been said too. He smiled sadly and lowered his head again to brush his lips lightly against Kyousuke's. He knew too well that that would be the last kiss he'll have with the gearmaster. He'll never have Kyousuke like this, never again.
Owari
Finally done! Thanks to everyone who reviewed this fic! I had fun writing it! Oh, and kinomoto kero, I will try and do your request. I hope I don't disappoint you! ^^
