The Psychology of Getting Laid
Summary: They aren't… you know.
Disclaimer: I didn't create Hana Yori Dango. To quote James Hetfield, "You know it's sad but true."
Author's Note: Yatta! More reviews. Well, I have lots of ideas for this fic, but some of them I think can be separated out and used for different stories. I have to do lots of thinking. Thanks to everyone reading this who has taken the time to review and let me know I'm not just wasting my time. Haha… I see a LOT of hits and far fewer reviews. To me, this suggests that people are peeking in, hoping to read smutty sex scenes and leaving disappointed. You naughty readers, you. Wherever would you get such ideas?
Chapter Three: It Ain't Nothin' But a Party
"You're manipulative," sighed Yuki, but she didn't sound particularly broken up about it.
Perched next to Tsukushi as they soared above a glistening ocean on one of the smaller Domyoji private jets, she had fallen victim to Tsukushi's scheme to lure her to Hawaii with the promise of a shirtless Nishikado. As far as Tsukushi was concerned, moral support was moral support, even if it did come in the form of a best friend who regularly had naughty thoughts about a boy who had already checked more than half of Tokyo's female elite off his "To Do" list.
Akira and Sojiro were lounging across from them, sprawled almost on top of each other on one of the cushy benches lining the inner walls of the fuselage under the window, the dark-haired teen intent on his PSP while Akira, wavy red hair hiding his face, tried to concentrate on his book and ignore the frequent and foul-mouthed outbursts from his friend.
Yuki chewed her lip, furrowing her eyebrows at the beautiful contrast between Sojiro's dark good looks and Akira's fiery copper locks.
"I've never seen two guys so physically comfortable with each other," she said doubtfully as Sojiro, in an attempt to get more comfortable, wriggled round on the bench and finally, never taking his eyes off the game screen, rested his head against Akira's lap, an action completely devoid of self-consciousness that Akira barely seemed to notice.
Yuki poked Tsukushi in the arm. "Are you sure they're not… you know?"
Tsukushi sighed. "No, they're not."
"Right."
"Right."
There was a long pause.
"We are talking about the same thing, right?"
"Yes!" exclaimed Tsukushi in exasperation.
"Right, right," Yuki responded hastily.
Sojiro hooted triumphantly as he beat another level in his game, something that apparently even impressed Akira, because in a moment they were both crowded around the PSP laughing and shouting.
"I mean, homosexuality, right?"
"Oh, my God."
Tsukushi would have abandoned her friend and struck up conversation with her boyfriend, seated closer to the cockpit, but he'd been sulking ever since the line of extra people accompanying him on his romantic getaway had begun trickling onto his jet. The sulking was deterrent enough, but even more offensive was the pretty blonde head resting against Tsukasa's brawny arm.
Tsukushi couldn't make up her mind whether Sakurako had somehow found out about the expedition and wormed her way into their company or if either half of Akira and Sojiro's dynamic duo had invited her along out of pure mischief. However she got on the plane, there she was, pretending that she'd innocently fallen asleep and unconsciously slumped against Tsukasa, who had given up shaking her off 10 minutes back east, and Tsukushi was irked.
The jet rose gently on a swell of brief turbulence, drawing a low moan from the trembling pile of blankets and boy belted securely to a short bench behind Sakurako and Tsukasa. In her excitement, Yuki had made the mistake of mentioning Hawaii to Kazuya, who had given Tsukushi puppy eyes until she'd felt guilty enough to invite him along.
And then there was Rui, whom Akira had insisted on bringing along as well, gracefully stretched across another bench. He'd been asleep since takeoff and no one was expecting him to wake up any time soon. It belatedly occurred to Tsukushi that she could have technically asked Rui to come with her as support and shield in the first place and avoided the crowd that was now going to be watching her every move with Tsukasa. However, going away with her ex-boyfriend and her current boyfriend would have been weird in it of itself, so perhaps it was better this way, anyway.
Tsukasa turned his head at that moment and caught her eyes. Tsukushi blushed guiltily as his dark eyes bore accusingly into hers. His eyes darted back to Sakurako, snuggled up against him and still feigning sleep. He stood up abruptly and moved to another seat, ignoring the indignant protests of the suddenly awake Sakurako as she pitched face first onto the seat. Throwing a mutinous look at Tsukushi, she flounced over to harass Kazuya.
"Tsukushi. Come sit with me." Tsukasa's words were an order, not a request. She should have known he wouldn't pout for much longer.
Narrowing her eyes, she contemplated turning up her nose and refusing, but after hesitating, she finally got up, crossed the aisle at an angle, and sat down awkwardly next to him. She noted his crossed arms, the straight line of his mouth, the arrogantly expectant arch of his right eyebrow. She twitched slightly. What did he expect her to say?
A minute of awkward silence went by, broken only by the occasional crowing from Sojiro. Finally, Tsukasa stiffly took her hand in his, deliberately looking anywhere but at her as he did so. As the jet put more miles between them and Japan, they sat next to each other, rigid and uncomfortable, until the low, soothing vibration of the aircraft lulled them both to sleep and they pressed into each other, each unconsciously seeking out the comfort of the other.
Edit 05/19/07: Good God… I edited this chapter a year ago and promised an imminent fourth chapter. Mea culpa, folks. Cancer and chemotherapy has made this past year Hell for me and my daughter, so I haven't been effectively creative at all. In my down time, I've been melting my brain with World of Warcraft. Anyway… yeah. There will be an update. Someday. I think I have a vague idea of where this story is going… maybe.