Disclaimer: Since this fic contains the kawaiiness of Takouji and now Taito, then I obviously don't own Digimon...:P
Author's Notes: Yippee! I found the chapter that I was missing!!! grins madly I do apologize to you guys for not updating any of my fics...my excuse is that I've gotten a full time job and they're giving me all these hours grins again which means money to be saved so I can eventually finish college, move out of my parents house, buy a new car...you guys understand, right? winks But that doesn't mean I'm going to stop writing! It just means that updates might be slower than usual...but as always, well worth the wait! And even more so as when the times at work are slow, I usually work on story plots...and they become even better then before! So I suppose I should say that I lied on my bio when I said that I'd update Different Journey's first...really that was all depending on if I found this misplaced chapter of Forevermore-I was getting really scared that I might have to rewrite it...and I knew it wouldn't be as good as this one. Ah, but alas I DID find it!!! So without any further delay I'll let all you happy readers enjoy...
Rating: PG13
Warning: As mentioned in the disclaimer, this fic contains Taito and Takouji...if you don't like the thought of yaoi/slash, then I suggest that you leave now or forever hold your peace-you've been for warned.
Pairings: Takuya/Kouji, Taichi/Yamato, Koichi/Izumi, with hints of Katsume/Rei
Time Setting: Five years after Eternity
Forevermore
Author: Angel Spirit
Chapter 9: So Close
When Kouji had woken up the next morning, Takuya was gone...and while he really wondered where it was that Takuya had gone off too, he knew that he should really act like he didn't care. So he needed to think like he didn't care.
But you're finding it harder and harder to do that, aren't you? A smug voice inside his mind insisted, and Kouji sighed wanting to block it out. He slowly crawled out of bed, and once he was standing he stretched-and then winced and hissed in pain as he felt the pain from the knife wound that he had received the other day and had completely forgotten about it.
He quickly checked to make sure that it hadn't started bleeding again-and was quite relieved to see that it wasn't. He glanced at the clock and realized that it was only seven thirty, and decided to take a shower...knowing he could do it as long as he was careful with his injuries. If need be, he knew that he could get Koichi to help him. His twin was only a couple of dorm rooms down from him.
But as he headed out of his dorm that he shared with Takuya, he stopped for a moment and glanced at the calendar...his eyes opening wide with sudden horror and realization. Today was the first day of classes for the quarter...and if he didn't hurry, he was going to be late to his History class that he had with Koichi and Rei that started at eight am exactly.
Mentally cursing his stupidity at having forgotten, he headed out toward the stairs but before he could even start down them, he bumped into someone he really didn't want to bump into...well, two people he really didn't want to bump into actually.
"Someone seems to be running a bit late this morning." Kouji bit his lower lip, also biting back a retort that he knew would've only caused an argument to break out between him and Sen...and then that would make him even later then he wanted to be.
However, the guy standing next to Sen was someone that Kouji didn't know. And he hadn't seen the guy too often before, so he highly doubted that he lived in their residency. But as Kouji continued to stare into the stranger's dark green eyes, he felt like he'd seen him somewhere before. And he was slowly starting to feel a bit nervous at the intense gaze of the other.
The sound of Sen clearing his throat however, brought Kouji quickly back to the present, and he ducked his head in embarrassment at having been caught staring at the stranger for so long.
"Sen darling why don't you introduce me to this handsome young man, hmmmm...?" The voice drawled, and Kouji winced. Why did he feel like he'd heard that voice before?
"Oh of course; how rude of me. Hirotaka, this is Kouji Minomoto...Minomoto, this is my dearest friend Hirotaka." Kouji hesitated to grasp the other teens tanned hand as he stretched it in his direction. But he swallowed his nervousness and reached out to take Hirotaka's surprisingly really strong grip. Kouji almost winced from the pain that he felt from the tight squeeze.
"Those closest to me call me Hiro...I hope that you'll be able to call me that sometime Kouji...well darling, we'd better get going, we don't want to be late for class-or run into that bitchy dorm room captain of yours." Sen chuckled at what Hirotaka had said, and Kouji felt himself grow angry. However, before he could defend Rei, he heard Sen in take a breath of dismay as Hirotaka bumped into him-holding him close to him so that Sen didn't fall the rest of the way down the stairs.
When Kouji noticed that the two-well, at least Sen anyway-were looking down in fear, he chanced a glance at what they were looking at-and saw Rei standing at the bottom of the stairs, looking like she herself had just showered and dressed-her arms were crossed over each other in front of her, and she was glaring a glare that could rival one of Kouji's own. He hid a smirk...knowing that Rei had heard Sen's friend call her a bitch-and he knew that she wasn't about to let the two older boys get away with it. Especially since Sen seemed to have also broken a rule.
"Well, well, well...who do we have here hmmmm...? Care to explain to me Sen, why Hirotaka is here at such an early time of a morning? Especially for someone who looks like he does nothing but slack off, and sleep through his morning classes after having done nothing but party all night?" Sen seemed to pale a bit, and Rei chuckled as she nodded. Kouji hadn't caught the hidden meaning behind Rei's words.
"Oh yes Senny, I found out about that little party that you-no doubt with the help of your bastard of a friend standing next to you-had while I was away. Did you really think that your dear old captain wouldn't find out about it?" Kouji shook his head as he caught Rei's eyes-and saw the grin that was suddenly there behind them, even though her face was deadly serious.
Kouji suddenly knew that Rei was going to thoroughly enjoy punishing Sen for his actions.
"Rei...what party, I don't know what you're talking about..." Sen started, but Rei snorted and shook her head as she smiled sweetly at someone who had arrived quite suddenly and was standing at the top of the stairs. The two boys turned and both Sen and Hirotaka cursed as they saw Alec-with Koichi-grinning down at them and giving them a small wave.
"Oh don't thank me boys...Rei simply asked me how my stay here over break was...and I couldn't very well go and tell her a lie, could I?" He smirked as he brushed past them, and had the guts enough to kiss Rei on the cheek when he got to the bottom of the stairs, where she stood.
"Don't go to hard on them Rei...but then again if you want to evacuate Sen from this residency, I'm sure you have enough evidence to do it now and I won't hesitate to tell you that I wouldn't approve of such an action." If possible, Sen paled even more and sent Hirotaka a worried look, as Rei smirked at Alec.
"Now Alec...do you really think I'm that cold hearted of a person to do such a thing to such a sweet guy like Sen?" Alec only laughed softly as he clasped her on the shoulder and gave it a light squeeze, whispering something into her ear that made her grin like the Cheshire Cat...and she actually laughed as Alec headed out the door, waving behind him-no doubt to only Koichi and Kouji as he headed off to his first morning class.
"Sen...I've given you plenty of warnings. I told you no visitors past eleven pm on the weekends-Friday, Saturday, and Sunday-and ten pm on the weekdays. And those aren't my rules, they're the schools rules. I've also warned you time and time again to respect other people's privacy-which now range from a number of people, including Katsume, Kouji, and now Alec. Don't open your mouth, don't even say a word." Rei was angry-no, Rei was furious. And Kouji realized he the had never quite seen this sight of her before as Koichi had moved closer to him and put a hand on his shoulder as the two of them watched the scene before them unfold.
"Rei, Hirotaka and I are going to be late for class." Sen said, acting as though he could just smooth the whole thing over-but Rei was too angry for that. Sen had broken the rules one too many times...and this time she wasn't going to let him get away.
"You know what Sen that is just too damned bad, because I'm going to miss my History class today, the first day-and it's your fault. I'm going to go up to my room and fetch my keys and my book bag, and then you two and myself are going to hot trot it over to the Dean's office and have a little...discussion...about your recent behaviors. Yes Hirotaka, don't give me that look, you're included in this as well, and I've already called your own dorm captain and she's on her way down to see the Dean as we speak. While you might not live in my dorm residency, you've been causing enough problems within it to make it my business. And I warn you both...if you two decide to try and get out of this...and if I come back and you two aren't here...you'll both be very sorry that you ever met me...and I'll personally have the police come and escort you to your lovely little prison cells-for having been drinking on a non-alcoholic campus. So if you'll all excuse me, I'll be right back." With that angry speech said, Rei headed up the stairs and roughly pushed past Sen and Hirotaka, briefly stopping by Kouji and Koichi on her way up.
"Will you two please do me a favor and tell our professor in History that I won't be able to make it because I've got to handle my responsibilities of a dorm captain? Tell him-or her-that I'll stop by later in the day to say hello and to get my first assignment and explain to him fully-if they'd wish me to-as to what happened this morning." Both Kouji and his twin nodded and Rei dashed the rest of the way up the stairs, briefly glancing over her shoulder and giving the twins the slightest wink as she headed into her room to get what she needed.
"Dude, we're going to be late for our classes if we don't hurry...if you'll excuse me Sen, Hirotaka...I think I need to take a shower." Kouji nodded as he started to follow Koichi down the rest of the stairway, but not before Hirotaka suddenly reached out and roughly grabbed Kouji's injured arm.
Causing Kouji to cry out in pain as he tried to twist away from Hirotaka...but when he looked up into Hirotaka's dark green eyes, he froze at the look that he saw in them-a look he couldn't quite describe.
"Hiro, we're in enough trouble as it is with Rei, if you don't let him go now, I don't know what she'll do!" Sen hissed, but Hirotaka ignored him. Koichi, having heard his twins cry, had turned around and headed back toward the staircase, his eyes opening wide at what was going on.
"Hirotaka! Let him go, NOW!" But as his twin was shouting this, Hirotaka got the courage to lean close enough to Kouji so that their bodies were touching and his mouth brushed against Kouji's own as they made his way to his ear.
"If you think I'll let you go so easily Minomoto, think again...Ashia might've saved you once now, but that doesn't mean that she'll be able to protect you forever..." He hissed, and suddenly Kouji felt Hirotaka's lips upon his own as he greedily kissed him.
Kouji protested, but no matter how hard he struggled, Hirotaka didn't stop until someone had tapped onto Hirotaka's shoulder, and called out his name. As Hirotaka broke the forced kiss, leaving Kouji feeling disgusted and disoriented, he turned to whoever had called out his name-and received a strong punch in the face.
As Hirotaka stumbled away and into the wall, clutching his now broken nose-cursing at the blonde girl standing before him-Kouji tripped...and would've fallen completely had Koichi not managed to catch him at the last second.
"Damn you!" Hirotaka sneered, as Katsume cracked the knuckles of the hand that she had just used and only glared at Hirotaka.
"You know, you're such a moronic fool Hirotaka...you've got enough on you now to be evicted from residency on campus completely-and now if Kouji wanted too, he could place an assault charge on you. And don't you dare tell me he can't, because I know a lot more about that stuff then you think I do."
"HIROTAKA! SEN! Follow me NOW! Katsume, if you'll please accompany me to the Dean's office? I do believe that these two imbeciles won't give me any problems if you do." Katsume nodded at Rei who looked even more furious then before, and grabbed a hold of the two boys' shirt collars as she dragged them down the stairs, not caring about their outraged protests.
Knowing that Katsume would wait for her outside, Rei's angry mask dropped and was immediately replaced by one of worry and concern as she knelt to where Koichi held a trembling Kouji.
"Is he alright?" She whispered, brushing back a lock of dark blue raven hair that had fallen from Kouji's ponytail.
"I think he's startled...a bit stunned as well...what the...oh shit." Koichi rarely swore, and Rei looked up startled when she saw Koichi draw back the hand that had been gently holding onto Kouji's injured arm as she looked at what he had felt, and was seeing now.
Kouji's wound had reopened, and was now bleeding heavily once more. Biting back a curse of her own, Rei helped Koichi get Kouji back to his dorm.
"I'll go ahead and call the nurse and have her come down-go and make sure those bastards-especially the one called Hirotaka-get what they deserve Rei." Rei nodded as she sent another worried glance in Kouji's direction before she headed out into the stormy weather outside.
"Hang on Kouji, okay?" Koichi murmured as he dialed the extension number for the nurse, who answered after the first couple of rings. Koichi didn't even have to fully explain what was going on after he had mentioned Kouji's name, as the nurse automatically told him that she was on her way.
Sighing, Koichi gently pulled off Kouji's shirt as he balled it up and pressed it against Kouji's bleeding wound, holding onto his twin as Kouji hissed at the pain the pressure caused and tried to move away.
"Oh Kouji...why is it that everything bad seems to be happening to you lately huh? I'm your twin, I should be protecting you...and you get hurt right in front of my eyes." Koichi murmured, as he sighed and picked up the phone as he dialed a familiar number, hoping that Taichi was still in his dorm room.
As luck would have it, the brunette was still trying to get his things together for his first class which was at eight thirty-he wanted to get a cup of coffee however beforehand, and also hoped that he could maybe catch up with Yamato for a little bit before his class started.
When the phone rang, he silently cursed his dumb luck as he went to pick it up while trying to put on his shoes at the same time.
"Kamiya speaking...Koichi? Whoa dude, slow down, what's wrong?" As Koichi told Taichi what had happened that morning, Taichi sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
"Poor Kouji...he seems to be getting the short end of the string lately huh?" At this, Koichi agreed with him.
"Well, what can I do to help?"
'I want you and Yamato to help me keep an eye on him. That Hirotaka creep gave me the chills...and I really didn't like the way he looked at my twin...'
"There's something you're not telling me Koichi." Taichi murmured, as he threw a couple of needed books into his bag before zipping it shut. There was a slight hesitation on Koichi's part, and Koichi sighed...and Taichi knew that his instincts had served him true once again...Koichi hadn't told him the full truth.
'Hirotaka...he...he...he forcefully kissed Kouji right there on the stairway...Taichi, he had such a hungry look in his eyes...and it really threw me and kind of scared me when I saw him do it, when I saw my twin struggle to get away. The only other male who has ever kissed Kouji before was Takuya-but those kisses were always filled with such love and passion...' Taichi groaned-he had the feeling that Takuya really wanted to try and reestablish some kind of connection with Kouji-he saw it in the brunette's eyes the other night. And Hirotaka certainly hadn't helped much.
"Alright, Yamato and I will help you keep an eye on Kouji. I hate to say this but I've got to go...I want to try and catch up with Yamato before my next class so we can have some time together as we won't see each other until much later today. I promise you I'll tell him what's going on...he'll want to help, I'm sure." On his side of the line, Koichi nodded.
'Thanks Taichi...I've actually got to go too, the nurse is here...hope you have a better day then some of us already have had.'
"I hope I will...I'll see you at lunch?"
'Maybe.' With that, the two teens said goodbye, and Taichi sighed in frustration as he glanced out the window that he and Yamato happened to have in their dorm room and saw that it was still raining outside. Grabbing a coat and an umbrella, he quickly hurried to see if he could still catch Yamato...
Rei sighed.
The morning had been absolutely miserable...and that's just the way that her life-as well as everyone else's life-seemed to be getting lately. She'd managed to get Hirotaka evicted from residency on campus-well, more or less she had only helped-it had really been Hirotaka's own dorm captain who had gotten him evicted.
It turned out that Hirotaka had resided in the same dorm residency that Taichi and Yamato did...their dorm room captain, Ruki, had been a lot more cold toward both Hirotaka and Sen than Rei had ever had. And Rei had to hand it to the auburn haired girl-she was a lot like Katsume in many ways it seemed-one of them being that she didn't take any crap from anybody.
In fact, the moment that Ruki had met up with Rei's small band of people marching toward the Dean's office, the fierce glare that came from her amethyst eyes actually caused Sen to wince and back away a bit-bumping right into Hirotaka, who seemed unfazed by Ruki's angry demeanor.
"Hirotaka-this is the last time you're going to cause trouble! And if you think I'm kidding, let me let me in on a little secret...since that stunt that you tried to pull with Yamato, I've been making sure that the Dean has been keeping a file on you. You're gone as of tonight." Hirotaka remained surprisingly quiet, but the look that Sen sent his way, sent shivers down Rei's spine.
She really didn't like that look...the look...was it filled with lust and longing...maybe even hope? She wondered how someone like Sen could like someone as disgusting as Hirotaka. For her, she'd hated Hirotaka since the first time she'd met him-he gave her the creeps, and she was sure that most of the other people who'd met him felt the same way.
If anyone else noticed the look that Sen sent Hirotaka's way, neither Ruki nor Katsume mentioned it.
"I think we can handle this from here...you're Katsume, right?" Katsume nodded and held out a hand to the auburn haired girl, and Rei could instantly tell that Katsume liked the teen-it wasn't that often that Katsume took a liking to someone right away.
And she actually felt a pang of jealousy at the admiration that Katsume held in her eyes when she stared into Ruki's dark amethyst one's...though Rei had to admit, that Ruki's eyes were quite attractive. She had never quite seen anyone with an eye color like what Ruki had.
"That's correct...and you're Ruki, I've heard quite a bit about your reputation. They say that you're fearless...and that you take shit from no one." Ruki chuckled.
"Yeah, you've got that right-I've heard quite a few things about you as well...if you want to hang out anytime soon, don't be afraid to call me." When Ruki handed Katsume a small piece of paper with what had to be her number scribbled on it, Rei felt her eyes narrow down and she almost jumped in surprise when Hirotaka edged closer to her-close enough so that their shoulders were touching and that he could whisper into her ear.
"Is someone jealous?" He whispered, and Rei shivered at Hirotaka's sudden touch, and his hot breath against her ear.
She cringed, and gave him a hard shove, causing him to stumble a bit.
"You wish!" She snarled, causing the other two girls to look up, and Katsume raised an eyebrow.
"Alright Rei?" She asked, and Rei snorted.
"Never better-come on Ruki, I want to get this over with...please?" Ruki nodded and waved goodbye to Katsume, who picked up her bag and headed off to her own classes for the day...and Rei knew that she probably wouldn't see her until after dinner-if not later. From what Rei had seen, Katsume had loaded herself down with so many classes that just looking at the blonde girl's schedule gave her a headache.
The rest of the way back to the Dean's office was silent, until they got to the door and Rei only had to knock twice, before the Dean told them to come in.
She took a breath as she opened it, and stepped aside as Ruki pushed Hirotaka and Sen through so that they entered first, giving Rei a wink and a small grin as she went through next.
Rei didn't even notice the fact that her hand had tightened on the door knob...
And so it had been done. Sen had been let off with a severe warning, and Hirotaka was gone-done for. Rei knew that that would make Yamato one very happy person-and Kouji would probably feel the same way.
Rei had managed to remember to bring the books that she had needed for later on that morning with her, so she wouldn't have to go back to the dorms and play fetch. But she did watch Sen as he slowly made his way back the way they'd come...his head hung low and his shoulder's slouched.
She was about to head off to class, when she remembered there was something that she needed to take care of-scratch that, a certain someone actually. So she waited for Ruki to come out of the Dean's office, which she did a few minutes later looking quite satisfied with herself.
"Seems like you're having a good day, eh Makino?" The auburn haired teen whirled around, surprised at having been caught unaware by the brunette who leaned against the wall next to the door she'd walked out of, her arms crossed over her chest and she raised her head so that Ruki could see her dark brown eyes...they held a look of fury in them.
"Actually, yes...I am. Why do you ask?" Rei snorted as she walked right up to Ruki, her dark brown eyes narrowed. In return, Ruki narrowed her own eyes, the dark purple orbs glittering dangerously. She had been told at one point a long time ago that her eyes seemed to darken when she was angry...and she liked it that way.
But Rei didn't seem to be the kind who was intimidated by a simple glare, and Ruki wondered exactly what it was that Rei had a problem with.
"Next time you decide to give someone your phone number Makino...make sure they're not already taken...or you might get burned the next time your back is turned." Ruki raised an eyebrow, and smirked-this girl had spunk...she liked that.
"I thought I heard something about the two of you being together...but it was all rumors...I guess those cheerleaders were right when they said that there was a les couple on campus...finally one among the many guy couples that we have...not like I don't mind of course-I think Yamato and Taichi make a really cute couple, and I wish them nothing but happiness. But Ashia, you're stepping out of bounds. I'm already taken..." Before Rei could respond, or Ruki could go any further, there a soft giggle could be heard as the two walked back outside into the gloomy weather.
"It's about time Ruki-kun! I've got coffee..." Rei turned to see another blonde haired teenager with dark green eyes handing Ruki a cup of coffee that she'd obviously gotten just a few minutes ago, as Rei could see the steam that came up from it-and suddenly, the blonde made coffee sound really good at the moment...
"Thank you Juri, you read my mind. By the way, meet the dorm room captain who helped me finally evict my greatest arch nemesis." Juri giggled as she stretched out the hand that didn't occupy the cup of coffee that she had gotten for herself as well.
Rei grasped it, smiling at the girl-there was just something innocent about Juri...she couldn't quite place her finger on it, and she wondered how it was that such a sweet girl could pair herself up with someone as harsh sounding as Ruki.
"I'm Rei." Juri nodded at her.
"Juri, as Ruki's stated already. Ruki, if we don't hurry now we'll both be late for our next on!" Ruki sighed and shook her head as the blonde grabbed her hand and started to drag her in the opposite direction from what Rei needed to go.
Ruki looked over her shoulder and gave Rei a nod.
"Sorry about earlier...but I meant what I told Katsume, and that applies to you as well-if you guys ever want to hang out with us, don't be afraid to give us a call...it's nice to know that there are other people like Juri and myself on campus. If you guys are free on Friday night, we can do something okay?" Rei nodded...the smile she held brightening her eyes from the angry look that they had seemed to hold all morning.
"Sure, sounds good-have fun in class." Rei could've sworn she heard Ruki snort in disbelief at what Rei had just said and she chuckled as she headed the other way-stopping for a cup of coffee before going to her next class-she would actually be right on time...for once.
And she just had enough time to call Koichi and check up on Kouji...
The phone ringing was what had brought Kouji out of the semi-conscious state that he had been in since the nurse had left.
He was supposed to be getting up and getting ready to go to his next class, but he just didn't feel like he could summon up the strength to do so. That, and he still needed a shower...especially after what happened earlier that morning with Hirotaka...
Kouji shivered just thinking about the dark haired young man. Kouji had to admit that not many things scared him lately, but Hirotaka had succeeded in putting fear in Kouji's veins.
And he hoped to never have to endure another kiss like that again. He didn't think he could...for as soon as Hirotaka's mouth had invaded his own, Kouji had wished nothing more then for Hirotaka's lips to be Takuya's. And it was also in that sense, that Kouji realized that he really didn't want anyone else to kiss him again-unless it was Takuya.
So for most of the morning, his mind was plagued with thoughts about Takuya, as memories kept on resurfacing and coming to life in his mind...taking him back to the past as he tried not to think back to the night that Takuya had left him. The night that had cost him nothing but pain and sorrow.
It had only been Rei checking up on him...and telling him the best news that he'd heard in quite awhile.
Now he lay on his bed with a small smile on his face, quite content that Hirotaka wasn't going to be allowed to live in the dorms anymore-and that Sen was let off with a severe warning.
He didn't remember falling asleep, but at one point during the day, someone was softly shaking him awake. He opened his eyes groggily and allowed a soft smile to show as he looked into a pair of concerned looking dark brown eyes.
"You okay? Koichi and Rei told me what happened...I'm sorry I wasn't here." Kouji shook his head and sat up, slowly enough so that his and Takuya's foreheads wouldn't smack into each other.
"I'm okay...feeling better then I was earlier actually-the nap helped...thanks for asking." Takuya blinked for a moment, and Kouji inwardly chuckled. He had the feeling that Takuya had least been expecting that...
And than he mentally smacked himself. What was he doing flirting with Takuya, when he wasn't supposed to show any interest in him at all? He'd broken his heart...
But that was five years ago...and it doesn't look like he's willing to leave anytime soon. The voice inside his head reasoned as Kouji sighed and Takuya again looked at him in concern.
"Um, I brought the first assignments for some of your classes...turns out we have a few of them together, I didn't think you'd mind if I brought them to you." Kouji shook his head as he sat up, groaning as he felt the pounding headache from earlier return.
"Thanks...what time is it?"
"Nearly six...it's almost time for dinner down at the mess hall, but Rei suggested that we order something from one of the local delivery places-Junpei, Kita, and Kai arrived late this afternoon and they're coming over for a bit." Kouji nodded, and smirked.
"And what is it that Rei wants to order exactly?" Takuya grinned.
"Ohhhhh...pizza, of course." Kouji chuckled and shook his head as he stood and wavered for a moment before Takuya put a hand around his shoulders and steadied him...and Kouji send him a look of thanks.
Inside, Takuya couldn't help but feel the happiest that he'd felt in a long time. Things were finally starting to look up-and was it just his imagination, or was Kouji finally starting to accept him back? He knew he couldn't rush things...it had taken him this long to get Kouji to fully realize that he wasn't going to be going anywhere soon.
It seemed like Takuya had finally broken down one of Kouji's many barriers that he had to go through in order to get back to where he was with him five years ago.
But that was then...and this was now.
"...shower." Kouji was finishing up saying, and Takuya blinked as he realized that he'd completely missed what Kouji was saying as he moved around a bit stiffly from having lied down for so long.
He blushed for a moment, and when he looked at Kouji he saw his raven haired crush grin and shake his head.
"You were daydreaming, weren't you? Not even paying attention to what I was saying at all, huh?" Kouji's dark blue gray eyes held a bit of a teasing sparkle to them, and Takuya found himself grinning back.
"Uh...I think I got it that you want to take a shower?" Shaking his head, Kouji chuckled as he got his things together and nodded.
"Wow, I think he was listening to me!" Takuya chuckled as well and playfully pulled his ponytail. Causing Kouji to turn around and glare mockingly at him.
"Want to try and do that again Kanbara?" Nodding, Takuya reached around...but this time instead of pulling on Kouji's ponytail, he allowed his fingers to gently run through the dark bluish black strands. Kouji didn't move, didn't tense up as Takuya reached up and gently pulled out the tie that kept it back in its ponytail, allowing the long hair to fall around Kouji's shoulders like a soft blanket.
"I always liked it when you wore your hair down." He murmured softly, as he continued to run a hand through it.
Kouji didn't respond right away, but felt a shiver of anticipation run through him as Takuya's fingers accidentally brushed across the back of his neck. How he had always dreamed of feeling this way again...
Don't ruin it! Just go with it...! His mind screamed at him, and before Kouji knew what was happening-
He stood up on his tiptoes, and shared a kiss with the one that he knew he still loved. And it was becoming clearer to him that this was the way it was supposed to be.
Inside Takuya's mind was screaming at him...his thoughts were incoherent, and the only thing he truly knew, was that Kouji had started the kiss. And he felt relief flood through him, making him want to cry. He'd wanted to hold Kouji for so long...he wanted to see Kouji smile at him, to be able to warp his arms around him in bed and cuddle close like they used to...
He'd dreamed about it for so long, that it didn't really seem real to him.
"Kouji..." He murmured as they broke the soft and gentle kiss, and Kouji gazed up at him with a longing expression.
Before his eyes grew wide and he stepped away as he seemed to realize what he had done, wasn't what was supposed to happen.
"Takuya...I-I'm sorry...I...I can't..." With that said, he grabbed the things that he had collected from earlier that he needed and fled the room.
As the door shut behind him, all Takuya could do was lean up against it and slide down the smooth oak wood until his butt hit the floor...and then he curled up in a ball and started to cry.
You're such a baka! Why did you run!?! You could've told him that you still loved him then...why in the hell did you ruin it?!?
Kouji's mind scolded himself, just as he allowed the hot water from the shower to scald his own body...trying to erase any thoughts and feelings that he had conjured up for Takuya.
He couldn't love Takuya...it was to dangerous for him to love Takuya.
But then why had he taken that risk? Why had he decided to kiss him? He had started the kiss, not Takuya...Takuya hadn't had anything to do with it, but respond.
You listened to your heart is what you did... Again, that annoying voice in the back of his mind.
You know that fire and light have always been one...interconnected with each other, it just makes sense! There's no one else for you but Takuya-he's your soul mate! Kouji felt like crying as he cooled the water down a bit, and ran a hand through his long wet strands of hair...
"I always liked your hair down..." And it was true; Takuya had always liked his hair down. Whenever they'd slept together at night while Takuya had been staying at his house so long ago, he'd always at one point had taken out Kouji's hair tie, so that his hair would be down...just like he'd done awhile back.
Shaking with the many emotions that coursed through his body, Kouji turned off the water and dried himself off, pulling on a pair of dark blue sweat pants and a white muscled T-shirt that he'd brought down to change into. He slowly towel dried his hair, trying not to aggravate his freshly stitched wound.
The nurse had decided to stitch it, after realizing just how heavily the blood had started to flow again when it had been reopened because of Hirotaka having grabbed it as hard as he did.
Maybe that was why Kouji had decided to kiss Takuya tonight...because he felt safe around Takuya-safer then he did around most people...safe for the close few friends that he had. And deep down he knew that Takuya would protect him...with everything he had. Heart, mind, body...and soul...
If someone asked Kouji now, if he thought that Takuya was his soul mate, he'd say yes. Only soul mates could still rekindle the feeling of love after being separated for five years.
With a pang, Kouji realized that he hadn't really heard about what Takuya's life had been like in New York. He'd always thought that Takuya had led the life of luxury...while he himself had been mending a broken heart.
And none of his friends had told him about the time that Takuya had spent in New York either. And this thought caused Kouji to frown to himself as he glanced at the mirror while he finished brushing his teeth.
Kouji knew that Izumi-and Koichi at times-had gotten in contact with Takuya throughout the past five years. Something just didn't feel right here...
Sighing, he headed back out of the shower area and back upstairs. He was going to go back to his and Takuya's dorm room, and study for a little bit-as it didn't look like the pizza's that Rei had ordered had arrived yet.
However, as he had his hand on the door knob, he heard muffled voices inside the room, and he frowned as he leaned up against the smooth oak-putting his ear against the door as he tried to hear what was going on and being said inside. He didn't mean to eavesdrop...but something inside him told him that he might want to hear this.
"I can't believe...I mean he kissed me! I didn't kiss him, he started it! And then he just runs out like that on me..." Kouji winced as he heard Takuya's soft sobs through the door, and then his eyes opened wide as he heard the voice of his own twin comforting Takuya.
"Takuya...he's got no idea...you know that, and I know that...you should tell him what happened...why you had to come back!" He heard Takuya sniffle and sigh.
"I should...but...I don't think he'd understand...I know he still thinks that I abandoned him and I had no choice in the matter Koichi! Trust me, if I could've stayed, I would've stayed in a heartbeat-I would've done anything to stay! Kouji has no idea how I felt that night...I was an emotional wreck, and my bastard of a father didn't care! He never cared! I don't even know why in the hell he wanted to get custody of me in the first place-especially after he started drinking..."
Kouji's eyes opened even wider if possible and he took a shaky step back away from the door and shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts.
He really didn't like what he had heard just then in the room. He knew he wasn't supposed to have heard it...but after what Takuya had just said, horrible thoughts started running through his mind as to what could've possible happened to Takuya during the time he spent in New York...why he never called or stayed in contact with Kouji himself. Was it possible, that Takuya might not have had a choice at all?
Maybe the reason why Takuya had stayed in touch with Koichi and the other's, was because it was safer than staying in touch with Kouji...
He wasn't sure what to do. Kouji didn't want to admit to Takuya that he'd eavesdropped on Takuya's conversation with Koichi that he obviously was now thinking that it was private-but in truth, it wasn't. And Kouji knew at the moment that there was only one person he could talk to-one person who he could confide in and run his suggestion by to see if maybe his thoughts were heading in the right direction. Maybe he could figure this whole mess out without having to be told-so that maybe when Takuya gathered his courage to finally tell him, Kouji would already know. Deep in his mind and heart, he was already assuming the worst. Sometimes, that was the best thing to do in the situation he was in.
So instead of studying like he was originally planning to do, Kouji headed down to the very end of the hall, passing the stairs to a room he knew all to well as he softly knocked on the door.
TBC...
End note: Some serious action in this chapter-ah, but the wrath of Rei's anger...as well as a jealous Rei too! And did anyone else see another character reference from another season? Grins Ah, and there were some hints in this chapter too! Some were obvious, some weren't...and I'm going to be a mean author and not tell you guys where those hints were...you'll just have to keep on reading!!! (And please don't forget to review? I'm really working hard on this story-more so than some of my others and the reviews help me keep on going...and I totally love you guys for that.) And once again if anyone sees any major mistakes in this chapter don't hesitate to let me know! I think I pretty much fixed anything that was wrong with it...but you never know...so until next chapter....