Title: Innuendo
Authoress: Esuna
Chapter: 1/2
Rating: PG
Genre: Shounen ai, General, Romance, mild Humour
Warnings: Mild OOC
DISCLAIMER: Standard disclaimers apply.

Authoress' Notes: Any similarity with whichever fic out there is coincidental. If the idea of boys loving each other is an issue with you, please click on the very convenient button labelled 'Back' before anything else.
            Staying? Hope you'll enjoy the story.
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            Takao hated camping, especially if it landed them any in a middle of nowhere, in a thick forest, and miles away from any town. Which subsequently meant that they were a desert away from a fancy restaurant, which automatically meant that he was doomed. For eternity.

            "ARGH!!!" Frustrated, he ruffled his hair violently.

            "Are you okay?" asked Rei, looking up from the pot that was on the fire. There was genuine concern in his voice.

            "Of course I'm not okay!" cried Takao heartily. "I'm hungry!"

            Rei smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, but food isn't ready yet."

            "When will it be ready?"

            Kai exited his tent with his masterful air, and he glanced over at Rei as he spoke to Takao. "If you keep on nagging him, you can kiss breakfast goodbye."

            "Really, Kai, it's not as bad as that…" said Rei, smiling nervously.

            Kai dismissed Rei's words offhandedly and hands in his pockets, he walked away until he finally disappeared amidst the bushes. Max's blond head popped up from the opening of the second tent, looking around him, and after noticing Takao sitting mournfully on a rock, he hopped in his direction, until slumping down next to him.

            "Oh, hi Max…" greeted Takao flatly.

            "Hi!" Max exclaimed, apparently to be in high spirits. "Ne! Let's go around for a walk? Enjoy nature in its best form!"

            Takao stared at him, perplexed. "Nature? Since when did you start being a nature person?"

            "Since today! Rei chose a superb place for our camping spot, Takao!" Max threw an appreciative look at Rei, the latter nodding humbly. "Come on! The river's crystal clear! To be untouched by pollution, free from thick black hazes that are synonym with city life…"

            Rei, still stirring the broth, chuckled at that. "Wow, Max, how poetic! Have you been studying your literature?"

            "Yup!" Max laughed, silently reminiscing the time when he was searching for romantic poems to be presented to Takao to ensure the effectiveness of his courtship. "So, let's go!" Max stood abruptly, and pulled Takao up to his own two feet in the process. "Off we go, now!" Clinging on him stubbornly, Max started marching and pulled a reluctant Takao with him.

            Rei glanced at them, a twinkle in each eye, thinking how amusing the two comedians were.

            Takao was, it seemed, unaware of Max's true intention of leaving the campsite, until Max had pinned him to the ground and kissed him. After knowing, however, Takao made a note to himself to agree to Max's decisions from now on, for the reason that the blond boy obviously knew what was best for the two of them.

            "You know, Takao," said Takao, leaning against a tree. "I think it's time we make our relationship public. It's tiring to hide it from them."

            "Kenny knows."

            "Ah, Kenny." Takao's thoughts drifted back to the short boy who was deeply immersed with his laptop to a degree of obsession, what with the sign 'Do Not Disturb' he had pasted in front of his tent. "But I'm talking about Kai and Rei."

            "But Kai will murder us if he knows we're together."

            "We'll just have to clarify a few things with him."

            "Things? Like what? And how?"

            "For one thing," Takao shrugged casually, "we should hint to them how blissful being in a relationship is."

            "Are you suggesting we make out in front of them?" Max was confused, and embarrassed at the idea.

            "No, no, no! What we should do…"

            Max leaned closer to him. "Yeah…?"

            "We should pair Kai and Rei together!"

            Max recoiled in absolute shock. "What?"

            "Yeah, don't you see?" Takao grinned in resolution. "This is an ingenious idea! What better way to know the greatness of relationships than being in one? Wow, Takao, you're the man!"

            "T-Takao, consider for a moment…" said Max. "How sure are you that they like each other? And how did you know they're not homophobic?"

            Pausing for a second, "You're right, I don't know if they are homophobic or not…but it's a worth a try to see if they do like each other!"

            Max contemplated to see the logic in their discussion. "You know, we should give it a shot."

            "See, I told you I'm a genius!"

            "How should we do it?"

            Grinning from ear to ear, he pulled Max closer. "Listen, first we should…"

            Rei stood up, his hands holding the pot. He was far from being a good cook, but perhaps the best one in the bunch. He inhaled his chicken broth, commenting to himself that at least it smelled edible enough. Therefore it should be edible too, right?

            He hoped so. He would not want to disappoint the others.

            Kenny removed the 'Do Not Disturb' tag from his tent and joined Rei. "You made that?"

            Nodding, "Yeah, my mom's recipe. I hope I got everything correct, though. Would you like to give it a try? If it's bad I'll add some more salt to it." Rei passed a spoon to him. "Go on."

            Kenny held a spoonful of soup and imbibed it down. He froze for awhile, spoon still in his mouth.

            "Oh God, is it awful?" asked Rei, horrified. "Kenny, speak to me! Tell me how it tastes!"

            "It's quite good, really." Kenny smiled at Rei. "I never knew you're such a good cook!"

            "That's because I'm not," said Rei modestly, taking the spoon from Kenny. "I'm just a novice in this kind of things."

            "By the look of things you're gifted in this, you know…even as a beginner." Kenny chuckled. "I should add this new discovery to your data."

            Rei laughed, glad that his cooking had turned out well. He liked to make everyone happy, and everyone would be happy with a full stomach.

            At that point Max decided to make his appearance. "Hi guys!"

            "Hi, Max…" said Kenny. "Rei finished cooking breakfast. It tastes great!"

            "Really?" Max asked for a taste, and using another spoon he tested the soup. "It is so delicious! Rei, you're such a good cook!"

            "Beginner's luck, that's all…" There was a faint tinge of crimson tinting Rei's cheeks.

            "Wow, anybody who gets you will be so lucky!"

            The crimson shade just got darker. "G-Get me?" stammered Rei, shyly. "W-What do y-you mean b-by that?"

            "Yeah, Max, what are you thinking of?" asked Kenny, equally dumbfounded.

            "Eh?" Max flashed an innocent smile. "Did I say anything wrong?"

            "Are you talking about Rei's love life?" asked Kenny. "Rei, do you think that's what Max was saying?"

            "Uh, I…" Rei's power of speech was gone, that he merely stood staring at his broth. 'Please don't blush, please don't blush…oh, dear…'

            "I'm just saying that Rei's luck in love is certain with this ability to cook!" said Max. "That way it'll be easy for him to find a partner!"

            "R-Really?" Rei laughed nervously. "This is so sudden, Max…"

            "Yeah, Max, what's up your sleeve now?" asked Kenny, beginning to get suspicious.

            "I'm just stating the obvious!" protested Max, pouting. "What, can't I compliment you once in awhile?"

            "Well, it's just that I can't believe my love life is dragged into this…" said Rei. "Ah, sorry…I should thank you for the praise."

            Kenny glared at Max, realization finally dawning on him. Max was up to something, and the absence of Takao and Kai was too strange to be of the merest coincidence. It was rare to see Max without Takao, and vice versa. Yet here was Max, blurting about love life to Rei; which meant that Takao must be out there doing the same thing to Kai.

            Knowing that Max and Takao were discreet lovers, Kenny deduced what was going on. Obviously Max and Takao were trying to pair Kai and Rei together, so that they (Takao and Max) would have liberty to express their undying love to each other with Kai and Rei present. Their only fear was that Kai would object to this—emotional outburst between the two. Hence, to shut Kai's mouth from saying acid words of reproach, they would leave Kai in a relationship—with Rei, so that Kai would get a taste of his own on what relationship is all about.

            Kenny snickered quietly. Probability of them succeeding, 50%. He was going to stick around to watch.

            "Um, Max…since you know so much about my love life," Rei was saying. "Why don't you tell me more about it? I'm starting to believe you are more knowledgeable than I am on the matter."

            'This is not too hard after all,' thought Max as he thanked his lucky stars. "Hey, Rei, did you know that someone's been giving you the looks?"

            "Someone's been giving me the looks?" asked Rei, echoing Max's line. "What looks exactly?"

            Kenny glimpsed at Max, and from Kenny's expression Max knew that the other boy knew what his mission was. "You know, the looks," said Max. He was stretching the truth, but never did he think of its consequences.

            "No I don't. Care to enlighten me?"

            "The looks saying that 'I want you badly'."

            "Oh?" Rei blushed. "Badly? How did you know that it's the look, and not just a normal kind of look?"

            "I saw that kind of looks on television, especially in sappy dramas."

            "Ah…"

            Kenny had stayed a good three feet away from them, for the sake of Max's eloquence and Rei's comfort. Nonetheless, his sharp ears were still glued to their conversation.

            "So who is this mysterious person?" asked Rei. "You know—her?"

            "Her?" 'Tell me Rei is not thinking of Mariah…' "Yeah, I do know him."

            "Him? It's a boy?" Rei was shocked.

            "And you know him too."

            "I do? Who is it? Kenny?"

            Kenny, who was quietly sipping his juice, spurted it out suddenly in absolute shock.

            "Kenny, are you okay?" asked Rei. "Does that mean you are the one who's been giving me the looks?"

            "No!" cried Kenny, indignant. "For goodness' sake, Rei, I am not interested in anyone at the moment! It's not me!" He wiped his mouth clean with a napkin, muttering to himself.

            "He's right," said Max as Rei turned back to him. "I think he's more interested in his laptop."

            "Thank you!" said Kenny, relieved.

            "Who is it, then? Takao?" questioned Rei.

            "Nope. And it's not me, either."

            "You don't mean…"

            Max smiled at him. "Yes, Rei, him."

            Rei's mouth almost dropped open. "But Michael is straight! Isn't he?"

            Max almost fell anime-style. "No, Rei, it's not Michael! It's Kai!"

            Rei's eyes widened to an extent that made his eyes look as if they were about to drop off any minute. "Kai!!??"

            "Yes, Kai!" Max grinned triumphantly. At last, he said it! "Can't you see?"

            "But Kai is not the type who would do such a thing! No, I think you are mistaken."

            "Trust me in this, Rei."

            "Impossible, Max. Kai is—well, how did you know that he's not straight?"

            "The way he fends girls off—I mean, it's not that his attempts work, with them still going after him…but I don't think he would consider being romantically involved with a girl…"

            Kenny was suppressing violent laughter, that Max was forced to silence him with a grave look.

            "That means you have a chance, Rei!" said Max, his eyes sparkling.

            "But…"

            "He likes you, Rei! I think he's perfect for you, and you for him! I'm sure you guys look cute together!" Max giggled at the thought.

            Rei looked at him queerly. "Sorry, Max, but I find it hard to believe you…"

            "But Rei! You like him too, don't you? Why don't you give him a few hints about your own feelings?"

            Rei blushed scarlet. "No, I don't think…"

            "Of course you can, Rei! You're a great cook, so you can use your cooking to get to his heart!"

            "No, it's just too much, Max. I really don't—"

            Kenny shook his head, still laughing silently, wondering how Takao was doing with Kai…Whatever it was, Kai would not be too easy to persuade…at least, Kai should prove to be much more obstinate and difficult than Rei - by a long shot.

to be continued