Atobe's Little Plan

Chapter 7

Ryoma glided down the stairs, a bit annoyed. He didn't see why Fuji wanted him to dress up as a girl. If he could ever get that sempai back for all the things he put him through, he would do it. That tensai was a bit too evil, though. Ryoma unconsciously smoothed his skirt. How had he gotten himself involved in this stupid thing in the first place?

-flashback-

"Hello?" Ryoma answered the phone.

"Ryoma? Long time no see," the familiar voice whispered over the phone. The hackles on the back of Ryoma's neck stood on end. "Are you doing anything for Christmas?"

"No." Ryoma carefully switched to Japanese and lowered his voice to a whisper, he wouldn't want his manager to eavesdrop.

"Good. Then you can come back to Japan." Fuji sounded a bit too happy. "I'm making the costumes, since it is a costume party, so you must wear them. That's an order from your sempai."

It infuriated Ryoma that Fuji sang that last sentence, but he remained calm. Making this sempai mad was not a good idea.

"I have just the idea for your costume, a little black dress… And we can always curl your hair. I saw that you're growing it out now."

"YADA!" he yelled. He just got over a fight with his manager over this fact, and he wouldn't budge over this one.

"Oh really?" The evil sempai made the question sound more like something with consequences than just a simple question.

"I don't want to. I have to dress up as a female for my shoot this afternoon. I will NOT dress up as one anymore."

"Hmm, perhaps I will just have to raise the money to send those two annoying females to America. The sensai's granddaughter isn't too bad but the other one…" he left the idea open. Ryoma did not have any problems imagining what the other one would do. He remembered the day she made him a poster and spent the entire class hour screaming his name and half hanging out of the window. Sakuno wasn't bad, but he just didn't feel anything about her.

"Fine. But if you get any pictures, I will personally beat the crap out of you." He slammed the phone down but not before he heard the wicked chuckle. He didn't even realize that he said that sentence in English, he was so infuriated.

He was annoyed, but as long as no one talked to him or reminded him about what he had to do, then he could live with the rest of the day. He slumped down on the couch, sulking.

His manager had to speak up though. "Let's get you dressed up and to the shoot. You have an hour before you have to be there."

Ryoma nearly decked his manager at that moment but restrained himself. He would get them back one day.

-end of flashback-

Ryoma's scowl deepened. He looked like one of those old school teachers, in his opinion. He had on a stiff white female undershirt. Over it was a pure black jacket that fit his figure. The jacket was long sleeved, which would be a bother in this crowded room. It was bound to get hot fast. The skirt was a black color and ended in a couple of frills. The skirt ended in the middle of his knees and feet. He carried along a black umbrella with a shimmering black mask. He wore his hair pulled back with a black headband except for a couple of ringlets that were curled and falling along his face. He tossed his head and the curls all bounced prettily. His shoes were like school girl shoes but pure black, so black they could act as a mirror if he ever needed one.

Yes, he would get his evil sempai back, if it was the last thing he did. He grimaced when he saw said sempai. Fuji was wearing a very nice red dress. He had told Ryoma his plans when he had called to confirm his arrival. Atobe made Fuji's dress, but Fuji made all the rest of theirs. Something wasn't right there, but Ryoma shrugged the thought off. It wasn't his problem.

He glanced around the room again and saw Eiji in his cute fairy outfit. He was talking animatedly to Oishi. There was something there that bothered Ryoma again, but he dismissed it all again.

Then there was Inui in his mad scientist outfit. Ryoma's only comment to that was, 'Wasn't this supposed to be a costume party? Why is Inui allowed to wear a real outfit?' Fuji laughed softly at that. Ryoma nearly choked when he saw Kiadoh wearing a hospital gown… nothing else. The outfit wasn't revealing, but Ryoma nearly choked anyway. The gown was tastefully made to look like a dress, though, for the purpose of this dance.

He walked over to the refreshments table, careful not to make any eye contact with the wallflower guys. The last thing he wanted was to be asked to dance. He discovered that he wasn't the only one with that thought in his head. Another was already there, avidly scanning the room for something or someone. Ryoma nearly made a break for it when the guys' eyes settled on him.

He would know this guy anywhere, any time. There was a reason they were best friends. Momoshiro was dressed as a vampire in a tasteful black suit with a midnight blue undershirt. He had on a black cape with red under siding. His pitch black shoes were polished to mirror perfection and his black mask gave him an air of mystery. It was a very nice combo effect, in Ryoma's opinion. With Momo's hair sticking straight up, he looked very like a vampire. For some reason that Ryoma couldn't explain, his mouth dried and his heart beat faster then before. Ryoma didn't really care to explain that effect to himself, so he ignored it.

He calmed his heart before walking over to the table. He stopped next to Momo, leaning against the table a bit lazily. They didn't say anything, which was comforting. Momo gave him a slight bow with his head and then resumed searching.

Ryoma felt his pride prickle. He knew for a fact he was gorgeous. Even for a woman, Momo should have looked at him. He grabbed a cup sitting on the table and drank it to wet his nearly parched mouth. Well, whoever Momo was looking for would just have to wait.

"Are you looking for someone?" Ryoma pitched his voice a little higher to sound more girly.

Momo gave a start and then smiled at him. "Yes, a very good friend of mine." He didn't offer anymore information. That peeved Ryoma and just a bit worried him. Momo was always talkative. If he could be counted on for something, it was his chatter.

"So, when is your friend coming?" he asked nonchalantly.

"I don't know. I was just told he would be here. That's all." He offered him a small smile.

This isn't the Momo I know, Ryoma thought to himself.

"Well, if your friend is coming, then he'll look for you. Come on." He grabbed Momo's arm and dragged him to the doors. He didn't know what he was doing, but this was very unlike him. He convinced himself it was just that he was worried for Momo.

They gazed across the gardens at the moon. The light from the full moon was playing havoc with the darkness of night. They could see the pond, a clear reflection of the moon and stars above. The sight was just beautiful from where they were. Momo was smiling appreciatively.

"This is wonderful," he remarked.

"Aa, it is," Ryoma said simply. He had seen part of this from his rooms when he left, and he thought it would be nice to see the whole thing with his best friend. So here they were.

A cough broke into their thoughts. Ryoma turned around to see Atobe smiling cat-like. "You know," he started, "It is customary for two people to kiss while under the mistletoe."

Ryoma could only blink. Atobe knew exactly who he was. Only Ryoma, Fuji, and Atobe knew everything tonight, or so Ryoma had thought. Those two had more plans then a general at wartime. He cocked his head to look above him and sure enough there was a mistletoe. From the corner of his eyes, he could see Momo turn bright red.

Momo held up his hands as if in defense. "We only just met, Atobe. You can't expect that story to hold for two people who just met, do you?"

Atobe gave a wicked grin. "Yes, in fact I do. You just might know each other better then you think." His grin widened when Ryoma glared at him. Just what was Atobe trying to pull? he thought to himself.

They turned to look at one another, indecision written all over Momo's face. "You don't have to, if you don't want to."

Ryoma didn't know why, but he didn't say that he didn't want to. He didn't even feel like he wanted to. What was with these thoughts? Momo cupped a hand behind Ryoma's head and began lower his head to Ryoma's. He went slowly, to give Ryoma plenty of time to pull away. Closer and closer they got, until their lips brushed. Why didn't Ryoma pull away? He was a guy. Guy's don't kiss other guys.

Instead of pulling away, Ryoma lifted up a bit on his toes so he could deepen the kiss. Momo's mouth felt warm and soft. For once in Ryoma's life, he felt complete. He hadn't noticed it, but he had a hole in his heart ever since he left for America. He didn't notice much when Momo wrapped his arms around him and leaned him back. He didn't even notice when Atobe smirked and walked away. He was drawn into Momo-sempai. It felt like they were the only two beings on Earth, and this moment was just for them.

All too soon they pulled apart, breathless from the intensity of the kiss. Ryoma looked deep into Momo-sempai's eyes. Those black eyes seemed like they could read the depth of Ryoma's soul. A pang of guilt washed over him for deceiving his best friend. What would he say if he found out that he just kissed another guy? What would he say if Ryoma told him that he liked it?

For the first time in his life, tears came unbidden into Ryoma's eyes. They streamed down his face. He tried to stop the flow but it was like a leaky faucet turned on, unable to be turned off.

Momo reacted like Ryoma always remembered when a female would cry. "What? What'd I do? Are you ok? What's wrong?" He began drying Ryoma's eyes with a scrap of his shirt.

Ryoma slumped to the ground, unmindful about where his skirts fell. Momo sat down with him. He was nervous, Ryoma knew that. He wouldn't look at him, but at the moon instead. Ryoma drew his knees to his chest and buried his face into his skirts. He had just ruined his friendship with his most wonderful friend in the world.

A finger grabbed gently at his chin and lifted his face up. "You have the same eyes." Ryoma gasped. Momo chuckled softly. "You could dress up as a cow and I could find you because of your eyes."

"When…?" Ryoma couldn't complete the sentence.

"No. I didn't know when you first came up to me or even when we came out here. When Atobe mentioned that I just might know you better then I think I did was when I got a slight clue. Then when I was about to kiss you, I realized that no two people on earth could have your eyes. That had to mean you were one and the same."

Ryoma smiled ruefully. "Momo-sempai is smarter then he acts."

"Of course! I am the hottest, smartest, most wonderful guy there is!" That was more the Momo that Ryoma remembered. His face grew serious. "Really, I love you. I don't know when and I don't know how, but when you left, a big part of my life was gone. I grew obsessed with you, needing you by my side. Sometimes I was scared, because I didn't know if you could like guys. I didn't even know if you could like a guy like me!" He ran his hand down the side of Ryoma's face, lovingly.

"You… love me?" Ryoma couldn't believe his ears. Ryoma frowned in thought. "To tell you the truth, Momo-sempai…"

Momo place a finger on his lips, effectively quieting him. "Takeshi please."

Ryoma blushed. "…Takeshi. To tell you the truth, I didn't like guys." When he saw the panicked look on Takeshi's face he quickly explained himself. "No. Hear me out. I didn't even like girls. No one got under my skin the way you did. I placed so many barriers, because geniuses have more problems then normal people. I used to get picked on in school a lot. I trusted no one."

He stopped to think of the perfect words. He didn't remember when he had last spoken so much. "When you came into my life, I didn't trust you. Then you became my friend, then my best friend. Every day was spent with you, and I didn't mind it. Actually, I came to look forward to it." He stopped to grace Momo with a small smile. He didn't remember being so happy either. "Tonight was the first night when I thought our relationship could go more. When I kissed you, I realized that it was the exact thing I've been longing for ever since I went to America."

He leaned forward and captured Takeshi's lips with his. Takeshi wrapped his arms around Ryoma and they fell over backward, with Ryoma on top of Takeshi. He placed his hands on Takeshi's chest to get a better position with him.

Someone coughed, but they ignored them. The cough grew more insistent. Ryoma ended the kiss to glare at the intruder. It must have been a really good glare, because the person gave a little 'eep' and walked away.

Takeshi chuckled. "My, what a fierce cat I've got." He ruffled Ryoma's hair. Ryoma lightly punched Takashi in the ribs; he gave a muffled 'oaf' rubbing the spot Ryoma punched. "Ryoma? Have you been working out? You're stronger then you think you are. That hurt."

Ryoma unconsciously moved his hand as if to pull his hat down, but encountered nothing but air. Takeshi laughed again. "Well, we probably should get away from the crowd. We could always go somewhere more private." He grinned and gave Ryoma a wink.

Ryoma shrugged nonchalantly. "Whatever."

Takeshi laughed merrily, ruffling Ryoma's hair as he did. "Let's go."

They slipped out of the party and out to the gardens. Most of the garden was full of people, so they chose to sit closer to the forest. It was more quiet there anyway.

"So, what's it like to be famous?" Takeshi asked Ryoma as they sat down on the bench.

Ryoma was in the middle of cursing all female shoes and skirts. "What's new? I get followed around by the girl population and get mocked by the males. Nothing different from school."

Takeshi grinned. "Well, you must admit that you're one cute guy, Ryoma." He tweaked Ryoma's nose. Ryoma swatted away his hand. "Besides, what's so bad about being chased by females? Before I met you, I would have loved to have been chased by females."

Ryoma rolled his eyes. Sometimes he was just too much. "Yes, well, need I remind you of a certain female that we went to school with?" At Takeshi's wince, Ryoma went on. "That constitutes 3/4ths of the female population that runs after me."

"Hmm, I wonder what those females would do if I ever told them that I got to kiss THE Ryoma," Takeshi joked.

Ryoma playfully swatted at him, but Takeshi laughed and grabbed his hand, pulling Ryoma to him and giving him a deep kiss. They pulled apart with their faced just inches from one another.

"I think they'd try to tear you apart, trying to kiss you." Ryoma studied Takeshi's face. "I wouldn't want that to happen to my love."

Takeshi rubbed the side of Ryoma's head, smiling for only him. "Of course I wouldn't say anything. I just wanted to see you jealous."

Someone ran past them, bringing them back to reality. A few seconds later, another person ran past. Ryoma couldn't see who it was, but Takeshi did.

"Oishi-sempai?" he asked, stunned.

"I think I saw something red running ahead of Oishi-sempai." A thought hit Ryoma. "Could that have been Eiji-sempai?"

"Did any of your training include running?" he asked Ryoma.

Instead of answering, he took off. "Catch me if you can, Takeshi."

They followed the two sempais, but they were just too fast, so they soon lost their trail. They wondered around in confusion for a couple of minutes, when they heard a scream. They took off again in the direction of the scream, but it cut off too fast, and they lost the direction again. They searched for half an hour, until Ryoma's sharp ears picked up someone crying.

"Takeshi, this way." He pointed, taking off again.

They ran, clearing the bushes, and had to stop abruptly. There was a cliff and Ryoma nearly fell off, but Takashi grabbed him by the back of his dress. When they calmed their racing hearts, they looked around for the crying. Thanks to the full moon, they found Eiji fast. He was sitting on the ground, cradling something in his arms, as he chanted something under his breath.

Ryoma quietly walked up to Eiji. "Eiji-sempai?"

Eiji started, clearly surprised there was anyone else around. Ryoma could see that he was holding Oishi. Somehow, he was bloodied and bruised all over.

Takeshi had somehow moved behind Ryoma without him noticing, because a loud voice spoke up. "Oishi-sempai? How'd he get hurt?"

Eiji started crying uncontrollably again. "He was following me and, and he saw the cliff before me and, and he threw me away from the cliff and took my fall for me." The explanation was a bit disjointed, but from the skid marks by the cliff, Ryoma could piece together what had happened.

"We need to get Oishi-sempai to the mansion. He needs to get patched up."

Takeshi moved to pick Oishi up, but Eiji tightened his grip on the larger sempai.

"Come on, Eiji-sempai. You can't carry him all by yourself. You have injuries that need attention, too. If he's going to live, we have to move NOW." Takeshi's forceful voice made for no disagreeing. He picked Oishi up and started running again, if not a bit more laboriously.

Ryoma caught up, staying in step with his more long-legged lover. Eiji stayed behind, but was right on Takashi's heels. When they ran through the garden, people glared at them, as if they'd interrupted something important. The three people running gave them no notice. They burst through the doors and into the party.

"HELP! WE NEED A DOCTOR!" Takeshi yelled as loud as he could.

The music abruptly stopped, with people all looking at them. When the closest people saw Oishi, they started screaming.

Atobe calmly appeared and walked over to them. He snapped his fingers, the screaming people shutting up. "Now, I have a doctor in this house, so calm down. Take him to the third floor, fifth door to the right. You shouldn't need to tell him anything."

Takashi spared Atobe a stiff nod before he took off again. Ryoma stayed behind. Too many people were as bad as too few. Besides, he had something he wanted to ask Atobe. He waited until the music started up again before he broached the subject.

"You knew, didn't you?"

Atobe gave him a haughty smile. "Of course. I know everything." Ryoma's glare produced a gleeful chuckle. "No, this time I didn't know. I only knew about Tezuka and Fuji and Oishi and Eiji. Fuji actually told me about you two."

Ryoma lifted a questioning brow.

"Don't ask me, ask Fuji." Atobe laughed slyly as he walked away.

Ryoma shook his head, rubbing his aching forehead. This was going to be an interesting week, if tonight was any example. That was his last thought before he went to join his other two sempais.