AN: Sorry it took so long to finish this chapter. I've had work and crap. -.- anyway, things start to get interesting in this chapter. Aizawa returns and there's a lemon scene! YAOI WARNING!
--- means a switch of scene
-.-.- means a switch into a flash back.
---
"Matsuri... can we come in, or are you doing something naughty?" Nao knocked on the door, Hashiba snickering behind him.
"What would I be doing that's naughty!" Matsuri called, annoyed, reading a book from inside.
"..." Nao pushed the door open, poking his head inside. "Matsuri-chan, we were all invited over to Nanami-chan's and Niichan's for dinner."
"'We were all?'" Matsuri blinked, setting the book on his night stand as he sat up, stretching. "You, Sora, and I?"
"Um." Nao nodded, entering when Sora gave him a shove, making his presence known, wordlessly.. "And also, Ichikawa-kun and Nagase Kai."
"Nagase...?" Matsuri blinked, confused.
"Eh." Sora shrugged. "Apparently, he and Ichikawa have been hanging out, and we didn't even know about it."
"...Cool." Matsuri smiled a cute smile.
"NO IT'S NOT!" Sora wailed, annoyed. "HOW CAN HE BE SO FOOLISH AS TO-"
"Ichikawa-kun actually, despite what one might think about him, is far wiser than you'd think when it comes to crushing on that guy... hey, you know what?" Matsuri blinked, suddenly, placing a finger to his chin, thoughtfully. "I haven't even met this Nagase guy... ever. I think it might be interesting to meet him. After all, you did say he was the person who allowed you to escape the lab, right?"
"So what? Nao shoved Aizawa down no problem-" Sora started, but was cut off.
"Twice." Nao beamed.
"Whatever, if Aizawa had tried to stop us, we would have just trampled him!"
"Then why did you freeze up when he held a lighter to your hair?" Nao muttered, annoyed with the fact that Sora was implying that he was weak.
"...Because of trauma."
"Tshh."
"Anyway, let's quit stalling. I want to eat Nanami-chan's home-made dinner! Remember those from back in the day, Matsuri!"
"Aaaaaah!" Matsuri clasped his hands together, excitedly, eyes shining. "It's been nearly six years, yet I've never once forgotten the sweet sweet taste!"
"..." Nao sweat dropped. "I don't remember it..."
"You don't eat." The two snapped, and Nao glared.
"Yes, I do!"
"When?"
"When I get hungry! I eat at lunch! You've seen me eat!"
"Anyway, let's get going." Sora smiled, relieved.
"Sorry guys, you'll have to cancel." Matsuri shrugged. "We have a job this afternoon."
"WHAT!" The two wailed.
"A job is a job."
"Who would be inconsiderate enough to hire us on a day like today!"
"Someone named..." Matsuri checked. "...Sakura Hiromu..."
"Why does that name sound familiar?" Sora blinked, raising a finger to his chin, thoughtfully.
"..." Nao growled, annoyed. "What's he want us to do?"
"He says he needs help with his laundry. Apparently, he took a spill down the stairs recently."
"Does that guy ever not get hurt?" Nao huffed. He didn't really care about going to Nanami's as much as he cared about figuring out what happened to their room- though the air conditioning would be nice... but to waste his afternoon helping that selfish brat...
"...Oh! Now I remember!" Sora exclaimed, smashing his fist into his other palm, suddenly recalling where he'd heard of Hiromu. "...He's the ghost kid in Ichikawa's class who I kissed!"
"YOU SAID YOU DIDN'T!" Nao snapped before blushing, turning to glance out the window, nonchalantly. "...In any case... I'm sick of doing laundry. That's been my chore for the past ten days. Everyone wants me to do their laundry."
"...But we can't just make him do it himself... oh well..." Sora pouted. "Let's get Ichikawa and that Nagase bastard. After that, we can maybe all do the kid's laundry together, and then hurry over."
"Good idea, Hashiba!" Nao smiled.
"For once." Matsuri teased and Sora glared at him.
---
"Eh?" Ichikawa opened the door, tired. "...Sora-sempai... Fujimori-sempai... Honjou-sempai... what're you three doing here?"
"Hey, Ichikawa! Ya hungry!" Sora asked.
"...Not really... I actually feel a little sick... Why?"
"Nanami-chan invited us over for dinner! Is uh... there anyone else in here with you?" Hashiba glanced around.
"...No... I don't feel too up to dinner tonight, I actually feel pretty sick..." Ichikawa yawned. "I'll take a rain check."
"A ring check? What's that?" Sora blinked.
"No... Rain check... you know, you go to a store, and if they're out of something they give you a rain check." Ichikawa yawned again.
"I always thought it was a ren check."
"The hell is a ren check?" Nao snapped. "It's reign check. Reigns, like on a deer."
"No it's not! It's rain check!" Ichikawa snapped. "A rain check was once a ticket (that's the check part) for future use issued to spectators at an outdoor event that had been postponed or interrupted by rain. That's where it gets its name- it's English!"
"...oh..." The two blinked.
"I just know whenever I go to the store and they're out of my favorite on-sale food items, like donuts, or candy, or ice cream," Matsuri listed.
"Or ramen, or rice, or pocky, or chicken, or sushi-" Sora listed, excitedly.
"They'd give us a rain check." Matsuri beamed.
"...Okay... now I'm hungry..." Ichikawa pouted. "...And very thirsty..."
"That reminds me!" Nao exclaimed. "Do you still have my soda?"
"I just threw it out today-"
"Eh! It's not even a week old! It's still good!" Nao pouted.
"What do you want soda for? We're going to Nanami-chan's!" Sora snapped.
"...Oh yeah..."
"Only if we help Sakura-kun first." Matsuri snapped.
"Hiromu?" Ichikawa blinked. "He wasn't in gym class this morning, where was he? Is he okay?"
"He fell down the stairs." Matsuri replied. "And as our job, we're supposed to help him do his laundry, but we got invited to eat with Nanami-chan."
"Well I don't think I could hold down any food anyway, just let me take care of it!" Ichikawa smiled.
"But Ichikawa-kun-"
"Don't worry about it! And forget the legal work, just act like Hiromu canceled! I'll help him as his friend! That way you guys can go have your dinner, and Hiromu and I can look out for each other!"
"...Look out for each other?" Sora blinked. "Are you sick?"
"A little, but it's not contagious. I just am overheated!" Ichikawa perked. "Don't worry about it!"
"But the invitation was for you, too... and now I think I know why..." Nao blinked. "Maybe Nanami-chan wanted to give you a physical."
"Nope. He already did!" Ichikawa smiled. "I'll be fine! You guys go have fun!"
"But the invitation was also for Nagase." Sora snapped, getting more serious. "Ichikawa, have you been seeing him without our knowing it?"
"Eh? If by that you mean, have I seen him, then the answer is yes!"
"...Why didn't you say anything?" Sora snapped.
"..." Ichikawa blinked. "Sora-sempai..." He smiled, nervously. "...You're not mad at me, are you?"
"Were you keeping it secret?" Sora asked.
"..." Nao and Matsuri glanced between the blue haired boys.
"...Well... I never bothered to bring it up because I didn't think you cared..."
"Before the incident, you mentioned him every single day. Afterward, as far as I knew, he was either dead or had run off."
Ichikawa's smile faded and he glared. "So then YOU were the one lying to ME when you told me you figured and hoped he was alright!"
"I never said I hoped he'd be alright. Don't turn this around onto me, Ichikawa! I never lied to you or tried to deceive you."
"..." Ichikawa glared at him. "You never had to. I trust your friends."
"My friends never tried to-" Sora stopped, eyes widening before glancing at Nao, who blinked, hurt.
"..." Ichikawa sighed. "...Nagase-Buchou asked me not to mention him. He told me that it would only complicate things. He doesn't want to have anything to do with you guys."
"Why weren't you just honest about it?" Matsuri blinked. "Lying made it complicated."
"I'm being honest now. Is it too late?" Ichikawa asked, glancing at Sora, who glared.
"It's never too late... that's what Kuu-chan is about to say."
Sora blinked, glancing at Nao, who smiled at Ichikawa, then turned to Sora.
"Ne?"
"...Mpf..." Sora sighed, glancing at Ichikawa. "...Yeah... I guess..."
"Sora-sempai... if anything weird happened, you'd be the first one to know... but Nagase-Buchou isn't how you think... or thought about him..."
"Nanami's invitation was for the five of us..." Sora sighed. "...I think he has the right idea. My thinking is that he wants us all to get to know each other better."
"...Well you guys go. Tell Nanami-chan I didn't feel up to it... but that I'll take that ring check." He winked, and Sora smiled lightly as Nao chuckled, Matsuri shaking his head.
---
"Where are the Jack of All Trades?" Hiromu pouted.
"...You wanted them specifically? I told them I wanted to help!" Ichikawa pouted.
"Oh... I just wanted to see them, that's all, but you can help me... sorry to trouble you..."Hiromu pouted, smiling.
"I was worried about you." Ichikawa whipped out a purple permanent marker. "...Can I be the first to sign it? Pleeeeeeeease!"
"..." Hiromu smiled, gesturing to his leg. "You can be the second. Someone else already signed it."
"Eh?" Ichikawa's eye twitched. Minato had been the first to sign it. The signature read:
Sakura-kun,
I'm sorry I accidentally knocked you down the stairs...
...In all fairness, you shouldn't have been standing behind me in the first place.
Get well soon.
-Minato Shinichiro
Ichikawa sweat dropped, signing beside it. "Hiromu, where's your laundry?"
"I bundled it up in the corner... there's a lot of it..."
"Eeeeh..." Ichikawa sweat dropped. There was a mountain of laundry. "...Hiromu... when did you break your leg?"
"Yesterday."
"...And... what was your excuse before that?"
"...Laziness. It was actually pretty convenient that he broke my leg. I wouldn't have had anything to wear today!"
"... How many uniforms do you HAVE?"
"Twenty six. One for every school day of the month- and a couple extra!"
"...You really don't like doing laundry... do you?"
"Hate it."
---
"Where're the others?" Nanami blinked, opening the door so the guys could come inside.
"Ichikawa didn't want to come." Sora shrugged before stopping dead in his tracks at the sight before him.
"...Konnichiwa, Sora-kuuun!"
A pink bunny was greeting him from two inches in front of his face.
"...Ayano-nichaaaan..." Sora shoved his hand away, annoyed. "I'm not four."
"Konnichiwa, bijin no Sunao-kun!" Ayano held the bunny in front of Nao, making it hug his face.
"..." Nao slowly raised a hand up, patting the bunny on the head. "...Nice to see you, too... Ayano-oniichan."
"Ah! It's cute!" Matsuri grabbed the puppet, yanking it off of Ayano's hand and putting it on. "...Look at that! Where'd you get it?"
"...I had it when I was a child... can I have it back now, please?" Ayano pouted, his hand feeling naked without having a rabbit to cover it up.
"You better give it back, Matsuri. This guy does surgeries with that thing on."
"Don't joke about things like that..." Ayano huffed, taking it back. "I don't do the surgeries. I'm a psychiatric doctor, silly!"
"...Yeah... okay..." Matsuri sweat dropped. "You didn't have it on when you took care of Sora after his fall."
"Kano-kun wasn't around." Ayano gestured to Kano, who was sitting quietly on the couch, watching them all.
"...Hi there, Kano-kun!" Sora ran up to him, plopping down on the couch beside him. Kano scooted to the other side, nervously.
"Oi..." Ayano lowered the rabbit, protectively heading over to his beloved adopted son. "Try not to make any sudden movements or anything that would frighten him. He's like a rabbit himself, na! Kano-kun!" He raised the rabbit, letting it take over the last of his sentence. Kano smiled, eyes lighting up a little as he sat up straight.
Nanami smiled lightly. "Ruyoya-san is going on a business trip next week, and children absolutely are not permitted, so we're going to be taking care of him for a bit."
"..." Nao, Matsuri, and Sora glanced at each other before sloooowly glancing at Minato, all gulping, nervously.
"What's that look for?" He snapped, and they all raised their hands up in unison, defensively.
"Nandemo nai!"
"You'd be a great father-figure if it's just a week!"
"I bet Kano-kun's studies will be better than ever!"
"Right! And he'll start getting all A's!"
"...Kano-kun is only five... he hasn't started school yet..." Ayano sweat dropped. "He'll be starting this fall."
"Oh..." The three blinked.
"Where's Aizawa's son? Is he not coming, either?" Soushi asked, sipping tea as he sat down beside Kano.
"No... we didn't see him, and since Ichikawa couldn't come, we didn't bother looking."
"He wasn't with Ichikawa-kun?" Nanami blinked.
"No..." Sora and Nao blinked, glancing at each other before glancing back at Nanami. "...You mean he was in the dormitory?"
"He had to have been if he kept his word." Minato scoffed. "He promised he'd take care of Ichikawa and make sure he got home okay."
"Ichikawa was really that sick?" Sora blinked.
"He passed out during one of his classes and Nagase Kai brought him to the infirmary, then he took him straight home." Nanami smiled. "He even called a little bit ago to let us know that Ichikawa-kun was doing well."
"..." Sora and Matsuri glanced at each other. "Just because someone acts nice doesn't mean they're not misleading us." The two muttered, and Nao shot them an angry look. "GYEE!" The two flinched.
"It's true..." Nao muttered, folding his arms. "...Also... even though he risked his life to save us..."
"You think the whole thing may be part of some kind of elaborate back-up plan?" Nanami blinked.
"I wouldn't put it past them." Nao nodded.
"Well for now... let's enjoy dinner." Nanami clasped his hands together, merrily.
"Okay." Everyone smiled.
---
"That was a GOOD meal." Soushi turned to Nanami. "Nanami, is there anything you don't excel at?"
"Lots of things, don't try to flatter him." Minato huffed.
"What do you mean there're a lot of things I don't excel at?" Nanami pouted and Soushi smirked.
"..." Matsuri put a tally under Soushi's name on a notebook he'd been keeping for the past two hours.
"So, how is school going, boys?" Ayano smiled to them, merrily. "...Are you keeping your grades up?"
"They'd be higher if the boys wouldn't cut gym class." Minato snapped. "And study hall."
"Cutting classes isn't a good idea." Ayano blinked. "You'll regret it when you get older if it affects your grade negatively."
Ah." Sora shrugged. "I only cut because Nao did. I was worried."
"I only cut because it's hot." Nao huffed. "And there's no way I'm running five miles in that heat."
"Hot?" Ayano cocked his head to the side. "But your school is air conditioned, isn't it?"
"The air conditioning broke." Nanami explained. "It's very hot there. I hope they took care of that today."
"I agree. The heat sucks." Minato snapped, folding his arms. "It makes all of my students sleepy."
"Sure that's not your lecture?" Sora muttered.
"That's only you, Hashiba." Nao snapped. "Usually only you sleep. Today five students were sleepy. Even I felt sleepy."
"It may not be that they're drowsy so much as it could be that... well..." Nanami looked up, thoughtfully. "I mean I don't want to give you guys an excuse to skip classes or anything, but many students came into my office today with symptoms of over-heat exhaustion."
"Like Ichikawa-kun?" Nao blinked.
"Um." Nanami nodded. "Though all of the students who had swimming as their optional physical fitness class seemed fine."
"Wish I'd taken swimming as my physical fitness class..." Hashiba pouted.
"You have to be a fourth year senior to take it, baka." Nao snapped.
"Oh..."
"Speaking of swimming!" Ayano smiled. "Shinichiro-san, why don't you tell them about your invitation?"
"Ah. Right." Minato smiled to them. "A friend of mine owns a hot spring vacation place a bit aways. It'd be half a day to get there, but it's a nice resort. I thought we could all go there this fall before school goes back into session."
"Oh..." The others blinked. "That sounds like fun."
"...Hot springs?" Nao blinked, confused. "What's that?"
"It's a place with lots of small pools full of hot water."
"Pools?" Nao cringed.
"More like... giant baths!" Hashiba reassured him. "They're not even that deep!"
"I feel a little uncomfortable talking about hot springs... knowing how warm it'll be when we go home." Matsuri pouted.
"I envy you guys. Having a fully functioning air conditioning unit suuuuure sucks." Minato sprawled out on his bean bag in front of their plasma screen TV. "...Yep, you guys suuure are lucky."
"SHINICHIRO!" Nanami scolded, angrily. "That's terrible!"
Soushi chuckled. "If you three would like to, you're welcome to spend the night at my place. Of course... you're welcome as well, Nanami..."
"HEY!" Minato sat up, angrily.
"...That sounds nice, but, we have to figure out what happened to our room." Sora shrugged.
"Why? What happened to it?" Matsuri blinked.
"Someone went in there while we were showering and tore the place up." Hashiba huffed.
"..." Everyone fell silent.
"I know! Weird, huh!" Sora huffed. "I bet it was that Naga-"
"You mean showering together?" Ayano covered Kano's ears with the pink rabbit's paws.
Sora and Nao blushed. "N-No! We just both went to the showers, in different stalls!"
"...Riiiiight..." Matsuri teased, and Nao wacked him with a pillow cushion from the couch.
Nanami chuckled. "Well, it's getting late, but I think you boys had best head back to your place so you can get a full night's sleep. Shinichiro, since you can't wait to get out of his air conditioning, since it 'sucks' so bad, you can take them home! Also, take a look around their apartment to see if you can find out any clues as to who went through their things... It wasn't you, was it, Honjou-kun?"
"NO!"
"Fine..." Minato huffed, opening the door. "SOUSHI, YOU HAVE TO LEAVE, TOO!"
"Are you boys sure you don't want to come back to my place? I have air conditioning." Soushi offered.
"Or my place!" Ayano piped up, picking Kano up and hoisting him over his shoulder. "You can play with Kano!"
"Does he even play? Or does he just sit there?"
"Kano is a little boy! Of course he plays!" The bunny piped up.
"...What's he play?" Sora blinked as the group headed out. "Stare at the wall for nine hours?"
"That was my favorite game in the lab." Nao admitted, grabbing his coat. Everyone sweat dropped.
"Thanks for coming!" Nanami waved, smiling nervously, breaking everyone out of their sudden space-out.
"Don't I get a goodnight kiss?" Soushi turned, puckering up.
"Gyaaah!" Minato stumbled away, having been walking right behind him so as to keep him away from Nanami. "NO THANK YOU!"
"Not from you." Soushi huffed before glancing down at Nao. "...Then how about from another bijin no bishounen?"
"From me?" Nao blushed pointing at himself.
"Just a kiss on the cheek! We're like family, right?"
"Like family?" Nao blinked, innocently before pecking Soushi on the cheek.
"WAAAI! Kano-kun, do you want a kiss from pretty Sunao, too! I want one! I want one!" The bunny waved its small arms around and Nao giggled before kissing the bunny on the nose.
"Mmmmmuaa!" The bunny grabbed Nao's cheeks before covering its mouth. "Oh, I'm a shy bunny, now! Thank you Pretty Sunao! Naa? Kano-kun? Don't you want a kiss from a pretty hime?"
"Hime? Ore-?" Nao blushed and Kano stared at him before turning his cheek up.
"...Okay."
"Aww!" Matsuri cooed, clasping his hands together. "Kano-kun, you're so cute!"
Nao pecked Kano on the cheek.
---
"The scene of the crime!" Hashiba turned on the light.
"Augh-!" Nao and Sora gawked.
The room was perfectly clean!
"...Hmm... something strange is going on here..." Matsuri nodded, wearing a detective's outfit, gesturing to Sora's side of the room. "...Not only is Nao's side of the room clean, which is actually pretty normal... but-"
"ISN'T THAT JACKET HOT!" Sora snapped.
"...This isn't normal at all..." Minato stated, suddenly.
"I GET IT! I'M MESSY!" Sora huffed.
"Not that..." Minato snapped. "The air in here... it's not normal to come inside and feel hotter... it's as though the air conditioning isn't broken... but the heater is turned on... Matsuri, you're in charge of the dorms over here, right?"
"Right."
"So do you happen to know where the air conditioning unit is kept?"
"...Not a clue. I assign rooms, I didn't build the place."
"Then do you know where I might find someone who would know?"
"..."
---
"Ichikawa-kuuuun!" Sora and Matsuri were banging on his door.
"Why would HE know! He's younger than all of you!" Minato snapped.
"The guy knew where the term 'Rain check' originated from. He knows everything." Sora snapped. "Whenever I have a question that you or Nanami don't know the answer to, I wait until our early morning fights the next day, then I ask him and he knows!"
"...Yeah, but Hashiba..." Nao mumbled, quietly. "...You're the kind of person any average person could lie to and you'd buy it easily..."
"My GPA is better than yours!" Hashiba snapped.
"I cut classes."
"HA! You just proved MY point!" Hashiba turned back to banging on the door. "Ichikaaawaaa!"
"...How?" Nao huffed. "Cutting classes when it's hot is smart!"
"But it's bad!"
"That doesn't have anything to do with our argument. If we were arguing over who's a better person morally, then yeah, I guess you'd win, but when it comes to smarts it's me." Nao huffed.
"You guuuuys, it's eleven at night." Ichikawa whined, opening the door. "I finished his laundry... What do you want?"
"Do you know where the air conditioning unit is here?" Hashiba asked.
"Why would I know?" Ichikawa whined.
"Because you're really smart when it comes to everything!" Hashiba stated.
"I know where it is. It's on the third floor, fifth door on the right." Ichikawa pointed at the ceiling.
"...If you knew, why would you ask-"
"It strengthens my confidence level when people tell me how smart I am." Ichikawa rubbed the back of his head.
"So you were ego cruising?" Minato arched a brow.
"I'm sorry I couldn't make it to your dinner thing Minato-sensei." Ichikawa bowed, apologetically.
"It's alright." Minato smiled. "How are you feeling?"
"Actually, I think if I could just sleep it off, I'd feel worlds better, but people keep interrupting my sleep..." Ichikawa muttered.
"Don't worry. We're about to get to the bottom of this whole air conditioning thing." Minato reassured him.
"You mean to the top." Ichikawa pointed up again. "Third floor, fifth door on the right."
"...Right..."
"I bet it was Nagase who wrecked our room." Hashiba whispered to Nao, suddenly before turning to Ichikawa. "Hey, what time did you get back?"
"I don't know... around two..."
"...So then..." Hashiba blinked. "Probably around the same time as us... so when did Nagase leave here?"
"Um..." Ichikawa glanced at the clock. "...Around two forty five..."
"That's when we headed to the showers, Hashiba." Nao blinked.
"HEY! ARE YOU GUYS SUSPECTING NAGASE-BUCHOU OF SOMETHING!" Ichikawa wailed. "He's a good person, very kind! Look, he even gave me his cell phone!" He pointed.
"In that case, you have nothing to worry about Ichikawa-kun." Minato spoke up, suddenly. "Nagase Kai couldn't have been the one to do it. He called me around three o'clock. If you had his cell phone, he would have had to have gone elsewhere in order to use a pay phone, or home. The caller ID said caller unknown, and if he had used Nao or Sora's cells, their names would have popped up. Also, there aren't any payphones here."
"Unless he has more than one phone!" Hashiba exclaimed.
"...He doesn't." Nao snapped. "He doesn't carry them around, anyway. He carries one, that one," He pointed at Ichikawa's. "And it annoys him to have to do it."
"Why?" Sora blinked.
"Because he doesn't like annoying ring-tones, so he puts it on vibrate and when it goes off in his pocket-"
"KYAAA! I don't want to hear about that! Not from YOU!" Ichikawa snapped, covering his mouth. "I feel better, already... let's go find the air conditioning!"
"Right." They all headed upstairs.
---
"...Is that supposed to be welded to that? And... is this missing a dial?" Ichikawa blinked.
"Someone purposefully sabotaged the air conditioning system... that's weird... and sadistic... and not even in the fun sense..." Minato poked it a few times.
"...It has to have been someone who knew their way around both the school AND the dorms..." Nao blinked.
"AHA! I know who did it!" Sora pointed at Ichikawa, who glared.
"WHY WOULD
I DO IT IF I KNEW I'D RISK GETTING HEAT
STROKE AFTERWARD!"
"...Good point... or is it?"
"YES! IT IS!" Nao and Matsuri snapped at him.
"Or maybe SO good it's his alibi!"
"...Sora-sempai... first you don't trust Nagase-Buchou, and now you don't trust me!" Ichikawa pouted.
"Who else could have done it?" Sora huffed.
"...Come to think of it..." Minato glanced at Ichikawa. "How is it that you knew? Ichikawa-kun?"
"Suddenly I feel like I'm being interrogated!" Ichikawa snapped. "I'm trying to help, you know!"
"It's not like that." Minato placed a hand on his shoulder. "But if we can figure out how it is that you knew, maybe we can figure out how the culprit knew."
"When I came to join this school, I looked up the dorms on the internet before the year began. That's how I managed to bag my huge inexpensive room." Ichikawa huffed, folding his arms.
"...It's on the internet?"
"...Well... not exactly..." Ichikawa blushed, averting his gaze. "I mean it is... but..."
"...You HACKED into the school's computer system!" Minato's jaw dropped and Ichikawa chuckled, nervously, scratching his cheek.
"It's called planning ahead... OKAY! SO I COULD MOST DEFINETELY HAVE DONE THIS AND LOTS OF OTHER THINGS! BUT I DIDN'T, OKAY!"
"...What are your hobbies?" Nao sweat dropped.
"Reading... researching... watching the news..." Ichikawa mumbled, bashfully.
"...Gaku-chan. Should be Geek-chan." Sora muttered. "...I guess it shouldn't come as a surprise. Just look at the shirts you wear."
"My grandmother buys these for me... it'd be offensive if I didn't wear them..."
"GRAMMA AIN'T HERE!"
"Guys... whoever did this left their tools behind." Minato knelt down beside them.
"Brilliant! We can dust for finger prints and stuff!" Hashiba exclaimed.
"..." Minato sweat dropped. "...Good idea.."
"I think Minato-sensei just wanted to fix the air conditioning... but this is a crime scene, and should be treated as such!" Ichikawa exclaimed.
"Good idea, Ichikawa-kun. No one touch anything."
"..." Nao stumbled backward, suddenly, after having pulled the welding off with a screw driver and the back of a hammer. "...What'd you guys say?"
"..." The others sweat dropped.
---
Sora sighed as he and Sunao entered their room. They each laid down on their own bed. Despite that they'd gotten the welded hunk of metal off of the air conditioning unit, it was still broken.
"...Why are you over there? You still haven't even gotten your things out of Ichikawa's room yet..." Hashiba glanced at him. "...Are you mad at me?"
"It's too hot to sleep together." Nao muttered.
"But you don't even have any sheets. You'll sweat right onto the bed and ruin it."
"...Hashiba..." Nao headed over to the blue haired teen's bed, lying down on it. "...Even through the humor... is their truth to your jokes and accusations?"
"About Nagase? Or you?" Hashiba shifted, moving an arm around his lover.
"...Me." Nao whispered, burying his head in the crook of Hashiba's neck.
"...No. Through the humor, we'll get over it. Slowly, we'll all forget... and even if we can't... we'll be family. No one holds any grudges against you. I promise."
"...Is it impossible for Nagase-san... to share in that?"
"He has no attachments to any of us."
"He has attachments to Ichikawa-kun."
"...Fujimori... I don't know..."
Nao shut his eyes.
"...Why do you ask? You seem the least trusting of him."
"...That's because I can relate to him so well..."
"Nao..." Sora shifted again, tilting Nao's chin up. "...You have to learn to forgive yourself. We all forgive you..."
"..." Nao's eyes watered and he moved quickly to get out of Sora's reassuring hold. Nao dug his chin into Hashiba's chest; pouting.
"Ah. You're in your 'I'm not talking anymore, so don't talk to me, so there!' mode." Hashiba smirked, playfully toying with one of Nao's lengthy sideburns, taking it up in between in fingers and brushing it across Nao's cheek. "Nao..."
"Hmpf!"
"...Nao..." Sora whispered, playfully, tracing a finger along Nao's lips.
Munch
"..." Sora winced at the pain, before sighing. "Alright... I get the idea... I'm going about getting noises out of you the wrong way, aren't I?" He slipped a hand up Nao's shirt.
"Kusou..." Nao released his finger and shoved Sora against the wall. "I'm not in the mood!"
"..." Sora rolled over onto his side, watching Nao.
Nao stared at his bed, sweat dribbling down his face, but not from the heat, but out of nervousness. He could feel Sora watching him.
Slowly, slooooowly, he turned around, glancing at Hashiba, who was still wearing that expecting playful expression.
"..."
Hashiba's finger raised, once again, to Nao's lips, but this time Nao was the one guiding it there. His tongue slid upward from Sora's palm to his finger, licking the blood up before the finger was entirely engulfed in the small mouth. Nao then pulled it out, kissing the tip.
"I'm sorry... Kuu-chan..."
Sora smiled, lightly. "...So hot..."
Nao nodded before blushing, realizing what Hashiba had meant.
"..." The pink haired bishounen shut his eyes as Hashiba rolled him into his back, gently.
"Sunao..."
"Kuu-chan... It's too hot..."
"...It's never too hot... we can always sneak in another shower."
"...Then... be gentle tonight..."
"I'm gentle every night." Sora whispered, licking Nao under his ear before blowing cool air onto it.
"...Mmn..." Nao reopened his eyes. "Hashiba..."
"I asked you to call me Kuu-chan..." Sora slowly raised Nao by the lower back, making him arch as the blue haired teen's fingers worked swiftly and skillfully to undo Nao's pants and slide them down to his thighs.
"Mmn..." Nao shut his eyes again, biting his knuckles as Sora placed one hand on the side of Nao's leg, the other gripping Nao's underwear.
"...Nao..." Sora whispered. Despite that he enjoyed making love with Nao, who at the moment, seemed to be glowing like an angel from the moonlight, he had another agenda.
"What is it?" Nao mumbled.
"...Is it okay?" Sora whispered.
"...?" Nao blinked, blushing. Of course it was okay! When had it ever not been! Baka Hashiba!
"...Eh." Nao nodded, feeling more embarrassed by Sora's having even asked. Now it felt like what they were doing was naughty.
"...Can I just ask you one question? About the lab?"
Nao blinked, taken aback. "...What?"
"...Just tell me... I mean... they did all sorts of things to us..."
Nao cringed. Hashiba didn't... didn't want to do those things, did he? Nooooot the right kind of kinky. Not at all.
"...Did they ever do anything like this to you?"
"...No..." Nao was relieved. So that's all he wanted to ask.
"...Promise?"
"...I promise..." Nao blinked before gasping, fingers tightening around the sheets as Sora mouthed him. "Aaah..." He blushed crimson, embarrassed by his sudden outburst.
Hashiba pulled back. "...Caught you by surprise?" He snickered.
"You talk too much!" Nao blushed. "Do you want to have a conversation or do you want to- nnn..." He winced as Hashiba licked up his neck, his hands working below the belt.
Nao whimpered, breathing heavier now, tilting his head to the side to give Hashiba more room to kiss and bite his neck.
"Sunao..." Hashiba murmured into Nao's neck before nipping at his collar bone. "...Do you love me?"
"Of course, baka..." Nao whispered as Hashiba's fingers drifted slowly, delicately up Nao's hardened member.
Sora glanced at Nao's face. Despite his snapping back, he was wearing an almost angelic expression. His eyes were also gleaming with a sincerity that no one could possibly doubt. Hashiba lowered his head, shaking it to rid himself of these thoughts. In fact, Nao was more like a demon than an angel... and the logical part of his brain warned AGAINST trusting Nao when it came to many things, but...
Nao had created Ran out of somewhere. Perhaps it was a mix of the boy's deeply rooted yearn for affection as well as his need for comfort and a reassurance that he would NOT be abandoned...
That and his libido. -,-
The two had had many appointments with Ruyoya, or Ayano-chan as they referred to him as, at his psychiatric ward... the man had insisted that if they open up more and let the emotions that Ran and Yoru let out that they themselves had been suppressing, slowly their minds would erase any need for the mental self-defense mechanisms.
"..." Hashiba sweat dropped. 'So I'm supposed to act like a controlling pervert when in bed with Nao? But I can't do that... but if Ran liked it...'
"Sunao..." Sora gripped Nao's wrists in his own, pinning them above Nao's head. Nao blushed, glancing up at Sora, nervously.
"...Don't give me that look." Sora huffed before leaning down to leave his mark on him.
Nao started trembling, nervously, shutting his eyes tight.
"Hmm?" Sora smirked. "Trembling in anticipation?"
"No..." Nao whispered, struggling to free his hands. "Hashiba... igh! Let go... please!"
Sora blinked, glancing at Nao. '...How would Ayano know what Nao wants in bed anyway!'
He released Nao's hands before gripping the boy's waist and leaning down, kissing Nao forcefully.
Nao blushed before wrapping his arms around Sora's neck. He didn't know what Sora was trying to pull just now, but he knew this was Sora's way of apologizing.
"Kuu-chan..." Nao mumbled once Sora released his lips. Sora began stroking his cheek for a moment before sitting up, pulling Nao against him.
"Fujimori..."
"Kuu-chan?" Nao blinked.
"...I'm going to make love to you tonight, okay, Fujimori? I want us both to enjoy it... lately I've been worried... I know you just told me not to talk too much... but I just want to be sure that nothing I do-"
Sunao cut him off in a fit of giggles.
"..." Sora's eyes slowly narrowed and he moved Nao away from him gently, and onto the floor.
"Hey!" Nao got back up onto the bed, wrapping his arms around Sora as he laid down to go to sleep. "Hear me out!"
"Like you did me?"
"It's just that you seem so in-experienced to all this, even when you're supposed to be seme!"
"What's seme?"
"..." Nao sweat dropped, blushing. If he explained what a seme was to Sora, he'd have to explain how he knew, and he was NOT about to tell Sora that he secretly read shoujo manga in their high school library.
"...Um... the one who's on top-ANYWAY, why don't you make love to me now, then ask me if it's okay later- if you even have to ask at all... Kuu-chan... I punch you in the face when you say something that slightly annoys me. Don't you think I'd cream you if you touched me in ways I felt were inappropriate?"
"Then why didn't you kick me instead of just asking me to let go a moment ago?"
"Because you were on my leg."
"...Oh..." Sora shrank down to a tenth of his size, embarrassed.
"Besides... even that wouldn't have been so bad... it's just that..." Nao held Toshizo up before tossing him against the wall across the room. "...I was laying on that- it was very uncomfortable."
"IS NOT! TOSHIZO IS EXTREMELY COMFORTABLE AND IF NOT IT'S BECAUSE YOU SEWED HIM WRONG!"
"...Hashiba..." Nao glanced over at his bed, where Toshizo had landed. "...From now on... I want you to sleep with me... not some stuffed animal."
"...So you're fine with how I make love to you?"
Nao blinked. "...Well... someone was giving me guff the other day about how you're always on top."
"...How'd they know?" Hashiba tried to keep a straight face on when asking, but luckily, Nao seemed to take him completely seriously.
"I don't know... but tonight, I want to be on top!"
"...But you're a bottom."
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN I'M A BOTTOM?"
"I could very easily be subdued into being bottom... but... only by the right kind of person, I think... maybe if you put on a bunny girl outfit or a dominatrix get-up... but as you are... you're a bottom."
"..." Nao glared. "Why's that! Because you think you're better than me!"
"..." Sora's face paled. "Wha? Huh? No! It has nothing to do with that!"
"Because you're stronger and faster and last longer, you think you get to be on top all the time? I thought we were equals!"
"..." Hashiba stared at him, beady eyed. Where was all this coming from? Nao opened his mouth to yell again, but Hashiba suddenly caressed his cheek, shutting him up. He smiled. "...We are equals, Nao. You're right. No one should be on top... so..." He pulled Nao up onto his lap. "...There's this position I've been wanting to try out."
Nao blinked blushing. "Huh?"
"You said you wanted to be on top, right?" Hashiba smirked, pressing Nao into the bed for a moment and removing his pants and underwear. He then stood, unbuckling his belt and tossing it to the floor before letting his pants drop. He tugged off his boxers, tossing them aside before reaching down and pulling his shirt up and off over his head. It joined his crumbled clothes on the floor and he sat down on the bed again, pulling Nao up against him, he seated the boy on his lap.
Nao blushed, a little- modestly. He tugged his shirt down to cover himself, but Sora placed a hand over his.
"...We're a little past that aren't we?" Sora teased, eyes narrowing.
Nao blushed before gasping as Hashiba grabbed his waist, lifting him. Sora shifted so his erection pressed against Nao's...
"Waah! Like this!" Nao blushed. "Sitting up!"
"No one's technically on top, right?" Hashiba winked, pulling Nao down onto him.
"Aaaaaah!" Nao cried out, fingers gripping Hashiba's shoulders as he buried his head in the older boy's chest, arching his back so much Sora assumed it must hurt.
"... Did it hurt?" Sora blinked.
"Of course it hurts! You didn't prepare me!"
"You never complained about that before." Hashiba huffed. "I always thought it felt normal-"
"I mean I wasn't expecting it!"
"...Oh... then pay better attention." Hashiba held Nao's sides tighter, lifting him again before making him sit down again. The tightness that engulfed his throbbing member nearly sent him over the edge- and so soon into the game, too… what a pity. This was going to end too fast…
"Aaah..." Nao whimpered, his grip loosening as he wrapped his arms around Hashiba's neck.
"...This is great..." Hashiba panted, lifting Nao again. "But if you want to be my equal or on top, you have to do some of the work, right?"
"Mn..." Nao raised himself up, eyes closed as he enjoyed his Kuu-chan moving inside of him. The pink staining his cheeks hadn't left for the longest time, but now that his eyes opened slightly, and his gaze met with Hashiba's for an instant, he felt slightly more reassured and comfortable, and the pink died down a little. He started bucking his hips up and down in time with Sora's thrusts.
"Aaah... Sunao..." Hashiba wrapped his arms around Nao's waist.
Nao whimpered and Sora groaned as the blue haired boy slid inside of him again. Nao's legs tightened around Hashiba, trembling uncontrollably. "...Kuu-chaaan..."
Sora gripped the back of Nao's head, tugging at his hair suddenly and making Nao arch his back, tilting his head back. Hashiba attacked his neck, sucking hard, leaving a match for the hickey he'd left on the left side of Nao's slender neck.
"Kuuu-chaaaan..." Nao moaned as Sora's other hand moved down to Nao's weeping member. He gripped it and started pumping in time with each thrust.
"Nn..." Sora bit down on Nao's shoulder and Nao cried out as the two came together.
Panting, the pair fell down onto the bed together, holding each other tightly.
"...Kuu-chan..." Nao mumbled, wiping the sweat from his brow. "...Let's go shower now..."
"Ah..." Sora nodded, pushing Nao away a little before pulling out of him. "...I came inside... I'm sorry..."
"It's okay..." Nao muttered before sighing. For a moment he just laid there, panting, as Hashiba sat up, inhaling before grabbing a towel and handing it to Nao.
"I hope everyone's asleep."
"We should run so we don't get caught."
"...You're not going to trip are you?"
"HEY! That was the week right after my ankle had healed!" Nao snapped.
"..." Sora stared before his eyes widened. "Oh that's right..."
"'Oh that's right!'" Nao mimicked, obviously annoyed. "Ass."
"I'm sorry!" Sora pouted, taking Nao's hand. "Ready to run?"
"Yeah, I guess..."
---
Nagase was reading a magazine in his room when his new cell phone rang. Blinking, he glanced at it. Impossible. There was absolutely no way- the only person he'd given his number to yet was Aizawa...
Slowly, he picked up his phone. Surely enough, it was from his father.
"Moushi moushi?" He answered.
"Kai. You can't keep avoiding me... You can't think of experiments as people or science will never progr-"
Nagase hung up, setting the phone aside before going back to his Sudoku puzzle.
This magazine had been a gift from Ichikawa the day his oh-so-beloved Buchou had asked him to deliver the message to Fujimori.
-.-.-
"Naa! Nagase-Buchou!" Ichikawa materialized behind Nagase, suddenly, as soon as the older teen had set down his test tubes.
"..." He turned to him, thankful that the boy had enough common sense to wait until he'd put them down before surprising him- unlike most of his past assistants.
"The director of the chemistry section of the school wants to talk to you. Are you leaving early again today?" Ichikawa asked, smiling like he always did.
"...Yes." Nagase set his things aside. "Take over for me."
"Sure thing!" Ichikawa turned as Nagase headed out. "Eto- Buchou!"
"Hmm?" Nagase glanced back at him.
"...I wanted to apologize about yesterday... I didn't mean to show you up in front of that professor... but I just... didn't want you to make a mistake and I-"
"Correcting my mistake was very admirable, actually." Nagase replied. Surprisingly, he'd actually meant it when he'd said it. "...I was very pleased with you for having done that as well. Neither I nor the professor probably would ever have noticed if you hadn't pointed it out."
"Oh... thanks!" Ichikawa blushed, rubbing the back of his head. "Nevertheless, I got you a gift in apology!" He raised a flimsy looking gift wrapped in a nice looking wrapping paper.
"...What is it?" Nagase blinked, taken aback. He'd never received a gift before... He took it, opened it and stared at it.
"It's called Sudoku!"
That was apparent by the title on the cover.
"It's a puzzle book! Some of them can be very challenging, I just thought it might be the kind of thing you'd enjoy doing in your free time. They help me to unwind! Have you ever played before?" Ichikawa asked.
"...No... I've never heard of it before..." Nagase admitted, hoping it wasn't too popular. He always hated it when he admitted to not knowing something that basically every one else knew. It made him feel ignorant.
"Really? It's a pretty popular game, here and in North America, now." Ichikawa blinked.
Damn it.
"But you're busy and you have more important things to do. If you don't care about something, it's only natural you don't know much about it, and magazines and games don't seem to be the kind of thing you'd be interested in, Buchou, but I thought you might like this particular one. If you don't, that's okay, but-"
"I'll give it a try. Thank you." Nagase smiled. Ichikawa... there was something about him... despite his obvious crush on Nagase, the chemistry club manager liked him... he seemed different from the other students.
He was probably the only person Nagase had ever liked. It was strange because... his father had warned him about taking on an assistant, because 'young people have a tendency to grow attached to other young people' as his father had so blatantly put it.
Despite his father's warnings, Nagase decided to take on an assistant when his work started piling up. It didn't help that his father forced him to work so many different assignments at once...
Ichikawa was simply his first choice. Back at the lab, his father would assign him assistants for his work, but they all seemed to be less interested in actually aiding in Nagase's experiments than they were in their big fat pay checks.
Ichikawa's grades and attitude were both the best Nagase could hope for, and the kid had never missed a day of school, either. Even a high scholar was better suited for the job than those idiots… though to be fair, Nagase felt Ichikawa was an exceptional case.
He seemed too good to be true, everything, from his GPA to the crush he had on Nagase was perfect. He was both extremely intelligent as well as easily-manipulatable.
If Nagase could choose anyone in the entire school to call a 'friend' it would be Ichikawa.
---
Now Nagase was on page thirty nine. He was up to the slightly more challenging puzzles. He could easily skip to the last page, but Nagase never had been the type to skip a single page in a book.
His phone rang again.
"Moushi moushi?" He answered.
"Kai, don't hang up on me. What's gotten into you?"
"I can't talk right now." Nagase hung up.
The phone rang again.
Irritated, Nagase answered again. "Moushi mou-"
"Don't moushi moushi me! YOU KNOW WHO I AM! What do you mean 'can't talk'?"
"...I'm in the middle of an experiment."
"No you're not! School's not in session! It's a weekend and I want you to explain yourself."
"Explain myself?" Nagase always got irritated when anyone demanded any kind of explanation from him. "I already did. I want to change. That's all I have to say to you."
Before Nagase could hang up, his father's words immobilized him- but not quite to the extent in which they did Sora and Aizawa's other experiments. Moreso, Nagase's own fear immobilized him in itself.
"I called you on your other phone. A young boy answered. I hung up as soon as I heard his name... why does your previous lab assistant have possession of your phone?" Aizawa smirked.
"...He took it from me." Nagase lied quickly, easily.
"Took it from you?" Aizawa arched a brow.
"By mistake, that is..."
"Do you take me for some kind of fool?" Aizawa snapped, angrily.
"What do you want from me? I'm burnt out. I no longer want to help you or your experiments."
"Is that so?" Aizawa growled.
"Is your interrogation finished? I want to ask you something, Chichi."
"..." Aizawa fell silent.
"...Is it just coincidence that Nanami Kai started working for you a year before I was born, and that my first name is-"
The line went dead.
"..." Nagase glared at the phone before shutting it off. Sighing, he set it on his night stand before slowly glancing at his Sudoku book, then picking his phone up again, dialing Ichikawa's cell number.
---
Sighing, Sora turned over in bed, flinging an arm lazily over the edge. When he noticed he wasn't touching Sunao, he sat up, annoyed. "Nao? NAAO?"
He got to his feet, slowly making his way to the mirror, where Nao had left him a note.
Hashiba--
We tried to wake you but to no avail. Matsuri-chan and I went shopping for JOAT supplies. If you need to get a hold of me, I have my phone.
I love you.
Sunao
Hashiba smiled lightly at the note before he blinked, noticing Nao's drawer was open. Whoever had gone through their things had even arranged their drawers differently. Sighing, he opened the drawer, switching Nao's underwear and socks to the other side before raising the journal. A few pages suddenly spilled out onto the floor.
"Oh great..." Sora knelt down, picking them up before gasping as his eyes fell onto the dates. He slowly went through them, organizing them, one by one. He sat down on the bed, the pages in his left hand, the journal in his right.
He wasn't reading them, however, he was contemplating. Considering whether he SHOULD read them, or if he should wait for Nao to tell him...
Sighing, he slid the journal back into Nao's drawer, closing it, before hiding the journal pages in his own underwear drawer.
Part of him didn't even want to know what was written on those pages...
---TBC---
AN: Yep, that's it for Chapter 3. I gotta tell ya, I write lemons all the time, but I've never written one that I thought someone would see… it's harder to write for than it is for yourself or friends! Personally, it makes me not want to post lemony scenes! Weird, huh?
As a side note- I don't have any idea how old Kano-kun is, but he's way smaller than the other chibis, and he rode in a baby seat when they took him on that trip to the hot springs, so I'm thinking anywhere between four and eight… but would you put an eight year old in a car seat?
Anyway, if you have any suggestions, feel free to post them! Thanks!