Chapter 3: In Which Resolutions Are Decided

When Hibiki wakes the next morning, he's alone and it's pushing 11 o'clock. He stretches languidly across his bed now empty of Yamato and checks his phone to see a bunch of texts from Daichi. He and Yamato really should exchange numbers soon. He also feels kind of bad about keeping Yamato with him all night, knowing he has far more responsibility to deal with than he does.

Then again, after last night, Hibiki thinks it's about time they connected at school. If they're willing to compromise and move forward together, essentially leading a double life won't work anymore and he's bound to be found out eventually.

Well, he's already late, so might as well pick up some takoyaki and join Yamato for lunch, he decides. He can apologize and confess at the same after cushioning the blow.

He orders from a restaurant near the school and picks it up on his way there. Despite trying to avoid being seen, the first person he runs into on his way through the door is Makoto. "Kuze? Where are you going? You're not even in uniform."

"I know," he responds with a guilty shrug of his shoulders. "I skipped today." Makoto shakes her head, reprimanding, but unsurprised. "I'm bringing someone lunch, maybe you can help me find him." They enter the nurse's office together and he greets Otome before taking a seat on one of her empty beds.

"Who are you looking for, Kuze? Although, I don't pretend to know every student in this school."

"He's pretty unforgettable," Hibiki laughs quietly. "It's a more advanced student, like way more advanced than me. His name's Yamato."

Otome swings around in her chair to face him with raised eyebrows, "How do you know him?"

His shoulders rise and he can already feel his cheeks beginning to color a bit, "Well, we've had some night time trysts."

"Trysts."

"Don't look so serious," Hibiki waves his hand to dissipate the awkward looks they're both giving him. "We occasionally go out and fight demons together at night. Yesterday, we were up pretty late, so I wanted to bring him lunch to make up for it." He shakes the bag, "Takoyaki is his favorite."

"Does he have a last name?" Makoto questions.

"Probably, but I don't know it."

"Describe him and we'll see if we can find him."

"Hmm...he has silver hair and violet eyes. He's moody and way too serious for his own good, a little clingy, but I don't mind."

They exchange a look as Otome idly taps her keyboard, "A student, you say?"

"I mean he never actually said he was a student, just that he came here. Why do you guys look like that?"

"Well," Makoto begins hesitantly. "The only person we know that fits that description is the chief…"

Hibiki's eyes narrow, "Chief? As in leader of this whole sideways organization?"

"Yes...Yamato Hotsuin." Hibiki sees red. It all makes sense now. The driver, assigning missions, the similar ideals. How the hell did he miss that? Even that calm authority Yamato always gave off. Fuck. "Are you okay, Kuze?"

"No! He let me believe one thing knowing it was wrong! Where is he?"

"He's on the top floor, but I don't think you have access to that part of the building…"

"I'll find it myself," Hibiki replies, jumping up from his seat and stalking out the door. It's when he's in the elevator to the top floor that it really sinks in for him. How much Yamato mislead him and he doesn't even know why. Yamato had implied that for the leader everything they had been doing would be frowned upon, yet he continued on knowing this.

He knew that Hibiki disliked everything the school stood for, yet continued to lie about his identity, no...that's not right. Hibiki blinks. Yamato never lied, he was just vague enough to let him reach his own conclusions without confirming or denying anything. Typical Yamato. He can forgive a lot of things, but this betrayal is on another level.

After arriving at the top floor, Hibiki immediately zeroes in on the secretary and stares her down. "I need to speak to Yamato."

She stares back blankly, "I'm sorry, who?"

"The chief!"

She gives him a slow once over with furrowed eyebrows, "How did you get up here? He doesn't speak to civilians."

"I'm a student."

"Or students."

Hibiki groans and steps away in time to see someone exiting from the door behind her. Ignoring her protests, he slips right past the exiting professor and the key card access doors to the back offices and inner workings of the organization.

He makes his way down the silent hall, scanning each door tag until he comes to the end of the hall and stops in front of the door reading 'Chief Hotsuin' in gold cursive letters. Taking a deep breath, he shoves open the door and meets the violet eyes of one Yamato Hotsuin.

"How dare you…" Yamato pauses and a small smile lights up his face, then he must register the look on Hibiki's face because it drops near immediately.

Hibiki hears rapid footsteps from the hall, so he shuts the door and locks it before dropping the bag of takoyaki on his desk. Yamato's eyes brighten again, "Is that takoyaki?"

"Yes! It was for you until I found out what a liar you are!"

Yamato's eyes shift past him when he hears someone knocking insistently on his locked door and Hibiki can see the moment it registers where they are and that he's aware of his true identity now. "Hibiki, it's not what you think."

"That you led me on? You let me think we could be together when all along you were running this school that I was against. You've said yourself that there's no way the leaders here would approve our relationship!"

Yamato pauses, tilting his head in confusion, trying to piece together what he's most upset about. And he really shouldn't even be surprised that him being upset over the status of their relationship never occurred to Yamato.

"You're terrible. Did last night mean anything to you?"

"Of course it did," Yamato's eyes shift away again. "Stop pounding on my door!"

They stare at each other in silence, "Then you should have told me the truth. All along you were the embodiment of everything that I was against! I thought we were together, Yamato!"

"We were-are."

"No," Hibiki answers slowly. "We're not. I may not have known who you are, but I do know of these people. You really think they'll let you stay with me? I bet you had to lie about your whereabouts every night."

"I can-"

"If I even care after your lies!"

"Hibiki," Yamato stands and reaches a hand out for him. "Please. I know I'm not perfect." An alarm chimes through the room before he can finish and he looks back at him pleadingly. "I have to attend this announcement, you should be there too."

"I don't care about this school."

"Then we can continue this later. Come with me." Yamato reaches for his arm and Hibiki slaps his hand away.

"Don't touch me. There's no later. Work and the protection of the company will always come first, there's no room for me in your life."

Yamato's face goes carefully blank and his hand drops. "You should come anyway. They are likely to restrain you since you burst in here."

Hibiki grudgingly follows after him. It's a silent, awkward ride in the elevator down to the auditorium. The headmaster is making some speech about the recent increase in demons and how everyone will need to come together to work hard for the safety of Japan when he arrives, but he's barely listening as he stands seething beside Yamato backstage.

Someone grabs his arm and he whips around to see Professor Matsumoto's scowling face. "What are you doing back here?"

"I was required to hear the announcement."

The hand on his forearm tightens, letting all his resentment at Hibiki's lack of progress and placement in his class seep through. "And what makes you think you're special enough to be back here? Get to the auditorium with the rest of the students!"

"Leave him!" Yamato snaps.

"Ah, C-chief, I didn't see you there," Matsumoto stutters out, face turning slightly red.

"Let go of him," Yamato orders coldly. Professor Matsumoto drops his arm and with a scathing look in his direction, exits out the side door. Hibiki sighs and shakes his head. That's Yamato, still territorial even when they're fighting. He can already see the issues that will arise from this encounter.

Hibiki turns back to the stage and when it looks like the assembly is almost over, he slips away back to Otome's office to wait for her and Makoto. "I have takoyaki for us," he says half-heartedly, holding up the bag when they return.

Otome takes one look at his face and wraps him in a hug, "Oh, Hibiki, I'm sorry."

"I don't know what you mean," he replies with forced cheer. "More for us." They share the takoyaki together and they don't taste half as good as he remembers.

~~~~~
Yamato stands on the sidelines without his usual coat, blending in with his subordinates as he observes the field exercises. He catches sight of black curls waving wildly in the wind and the familiar jealousy churns in his stomach as he watches Hibiki chat with a brown haired boy who he now knows is Daichi, a student nowhere near Hibiki's level of skill, but somehow his best friend.

They know each other's identities now, so there's no point hiding from Hibiki here, and every time his eyes land on the other boy which they inevitably will because he can't help being drawn back, he has to repress the unfamiliar cocktail of emotions that threaten to overwhelm him.

He's thrown himself back into work to forget the emptiness he now feels whenever he thinks back to Hibiki. It's a new thing to feel the loss of someone so close to him. Hibiki gave him so many new experiences and without him, the world seems duller again.

But, after a very enlightening conversation with Makoto he's beginning to understand why Hibiki feels the betrayal he does.

"Sako...I understand you know Hibiki, correct?"

"I do, sir. He routinely skips class to visit Yanagiya in the nurse's office."

Yamato allows a small smile to grace his features, "I can imagine he does." As he fingers tap the desk in contemplation, he finally asks what's been on his mind, "Sako, what went wrong?"

Makoto freezes and clears her throat awkwardly, "What do you mean, sir?"

"You have talked with him and he could be such a strong ally. How did neglecting to reveal my position push him away so much?"

"Well," she hesitates briefly. "Are you sure this is something you wish to discuss?"

"If I didn't, I wouldn't have asked. We've lost a powerful tamer. I highly doubt Hibiki will do anything asked of him now."

"Your relationship wasn't strictly professional and that is where the issue arose. I'm not sure about you, but Kuze likely developed feelings for you." Makoto pauses and shifts her weight, determining how much to say before sighing. "You did nothing to discourage his feelings while knowing that you, yourself, are being held to much tighter restrictions."

Yamato stares back blankly, "So, he left because our relationship would not be allowed."

"Yes," she nods. "All along you knew there would be an issue, but you did nothing to discourage Hibiki. Of course he feels deceived. It would be similar to if a tamer led you to believe they were extremely strong and you put all your faith in them and at the last minute, you found out they actually had no strength at all. They let you believe what you wanted to benefit themself."

"I would expel them from the city for that deception." Yamato blinks, "Oh."

"Sometimes emotions involving the heart can elicit the same strong emotions. It becomes worse when you can't fix it. That tamer can't magically become as strong as they claimed and you can't force the others to accept your relationship...can you?"

"No," Yamato sighs, "Not without a lot of unneeded stress and they would fight me on every single thing, not to mention question my every action."

"So, how can you fix it?"

"As of this moment, I have to focus on defending Japan. I don't have time to argue with them and I'd hate to do all of that and Hibiki still wouldn't return to me. It would take time to work through these things."

"And that's why you kept him a secret as long as you did. You already knew things would get complicated, but you held all the cards by not telling Kuze anything."

Yamato nods, already reflecting through his past actions and wondering if he could still change anything.

"Chief? The demons are awakening."

He nods at Makoto to show he's heard, clearing his head to focus on his observation of the two lowest classes, a mix of lower skilled and new students. The ones who need the most supervision. Well, all except his Hibiki. Can he even call him that anymore? He wants so much to be able to, no one else is even half as worthy.

Yamato's monitoring the newest class when it happens. There's a scream and he whips around just in time to see a female student's partner has left her high and dry in the path of an oncoming demon to focus on interfering in another battle and taking out a higher level demon.

The other students nearby are concentrating on their own targets and he won't make it there in time to help her. Then suddenly, Hibiki's there with a Hua Po, shoving the girl out of the way and splitting the full brunt of the damage with his demon. Hua Po is defeated immediately and Hibiki hits the ground.

Yamato's moving to finish off the demon before he's even aware of it, but the medics still get to Hibiki first, lifting him up and hurrying to the first aid tent. He seeks out the male student, Keita, that abandoned his partner in the midst of battle and lets loose on a furious rant on everything he's done wrong before demanding the student be returned to campus and suspended.

He's heard good things about the boy, apparently is strength is impressive, but if he can't even be relied on to do a simple task correctly, he's all but useless other than as a distraction.

Yamato turns on his heel and stalks into the medical tent, "How is he?"

"He'll be fine," Otome answers. "He just needs to sleep it off. Who knew he had a Hua Po? I've never seen him use anything above a level 6."

He hums noncommittally, reaching out to stroke his fingers along the smooth skin of Hibiki's cheek. He's missed the feeling of Hibiki under his fingertips.

Otome clears her throat, "I apologize Chief, but I can't let you touch my patient without his consent…"

Yamato pulls his hand back and nods. Of course Hibiki wouldn't consent now even if he was awake. He forces down his feelings for the umpteenth time. "Call me when he wakes up," Yamato orders before exiting back into the chaotic scene outside.

"You can open your eyes now, he's gone." Otome tells him in amusement. Hibiki sits up with a grimace. "You two had quite the one-sided fall out."

"Huh?"

"Well, the Chief doesn't seem angry at you, so…" She gestures helplessly.

"He has no reason to be angry at me, I'm not the one who led him on."

Otome nods, "Have you talked to him about it?"

"There's nothing to say, Otome."

"I'm not sure about that, maybe he was greedy for the first time in his life and wanted both things."

"He's smart," Hibiki shakes his head. "He knew things would come out eventually."

"Hibiki, I don't pretend to know how the Chief thinks on all things, but I don't think he ever does anything out of malicious intent."

"I know! And that's what makes it worse. It wasn't malicious, my feelings just didn't factor into his thoughts at all."

"It was a new experience for you both," Otome soothes. "I'm sure if he could do it over, he wouldn't make the same mistakes."

"Too late for that now," Hibiki mutters.

"Don't be so stubborn." Otome admonishes, ruffling his hair. "Just this once, I'll let you hide out in here."

Hibiki flashes an amused smile, "Thanks Otome."

~~~~~
The days turn into weeks and he still refuses to return to Yamato, his friend or ex or whatever they were to each other. Classes have become more stressful too, he can't pretend to be as weak after summoning a Hua Po. Now everyone seems to be under the impression that he performs the best under pressure, so they push him harder and laud the Chief's insight on advancing him.

Sometimes he thinks it would be easier to just fight with his full strength considering the one person he was hiding it from already knows and he's made it clear that he's not joining his side. There just doesn't seem to be much of a point anymore. If Yamato hasn't forced him by now, even if everyone knows his true strength, he still won't.

He flinches when Daichi comes up behind him and slaps a hand to his shoulder, "Hey man, what's up? You've been so down lately."

"Yeah, I know. Sorry."

"You don't have anything to apologize about, people still consider you the hero that saved that girl."

"Do they?"

"Of course!" Daichi gestures enthusiastically to the girl and she gives them a smile in response. "Even that higher up guy thinks positively of you."

Hibiki raises his eyebrows, "Who?"

"I don't know his name, but after they dragged you off to the med tent, he tore Keita a new one. It was the weirdest thing, instead of talking about what Keita did wrong, his whole tirade was about you and your potential. The guy was basically saying that you were better in every way and that if anything happened to you, Keita would find himself thrown out."

"Really?" That sounds like Yamato.

"I didn't even know they watched us that closely, but I guess you made an impression which makes me happy because we're back in the same classes again! But, all you do is pretend you're not sulking."

Daichi pulls an exaggerated crying face at him and he manages a small laugh. "I know Daichi, I've just been tired lately."

"Even without the late nights? Something happened with the person you liked, didn't it?"

Hibiki eyes widen in shock, "How…?"

Daichi throws an arm around his shoulder, "I'm your best friend, how could I not notice?"

"...Wow, I'm really surprised. I didn't realize you were that perceptive. Daichi, I apologize. I misjudged you."

"Wait, wait, wait," he holds up his hands in surrender. "Io noticed and pointed out that you were more cheerful before."

Hibiki sighs, "I take it all back."

"Hey! But now that I put it together, that's probably why!"

"And Io didn't mention it at all?"

"Maybe...a little."

"Daichi…"

"Whatever! Give me a break and just tell me about her! Was she super cute with a great body? Nice smile? What? Give me something!"

Hibiki shifts uncomfortably, it's not that he doesn't trust Daichi, but he's not sure he wants to have this conversation right here and now. "Yes, we had an argument," he evades. "There was some omission of truth and it didn't really work out."

"So, you guys are permanently done?"

"I don't know." He looks up towards the ceiling, "Probably."

"Aw, I never got to meet the person that fits Hibiki's tastes."

Hibiki smiles to himself, "I think you would have been shocked."

"So...did you ever...you know?"

"What?" He tilts his head in confusion.

Daichi wiggles his eyebrows and gives him a meaningful look, "You know?"

"God Daichi, really?"

"What! I'm just asking…" Daichi glances up and grimaces. "Look, it's our favorite professor coming this way."

Hibiki frowns as Professor Matsumoto enters the arena and takes his place on the raised platform. He's never figured out why they have him with the next to lowest class when he obviously dislikes their lack of skill. It's clear the other man resents his position too, so why make everyone miserable?

He especially hates Hibiki as the weakest student in his class and even more so after Yamato snapped at him in his defense. After the scolding of Keita, if Yamato keeps that up, everyone will think Yamato favors him and that wouldn't do either of them any good.

"Guess he's training us today," Daichi pats him on the back. "RIP man, see you after you recover in the nurse's office."

"Haha, very funny." Hibiki rolls his eyes.

"I'm serious! Although, I've seen the nurse, you're not suffering when you go there. If I could get away with it, I'd probably go just as much as you just for the view."

Hibiki shakes his head at his best friend's antics as Daichi takes his place in line. Although, he does spend a lot of time in the nurse's office, maybe he should skip and beg Otome to write him a doctor's note. Something believable, like a sprained wrist, so he can't summon.

Hibiki flinches when a firm hand clamps onto his shoulder. He glances over and curses internally when he sees their Professor. He hadn't even seen him get there and he already looks annoyed.

"Let's see how much you've improved since despite being one of the weakest students in the school, you somehow got into the Chief's good graces and had yourself moved up." So, still mad about Yamato then. "Hopefully you can summon that Hua Po again today, show me what he sees in you."

What he sees in him? Hibiki almost laughs, if not for the death grip on his shoulder as if he was an unruly child. Professor Matsumoto steers him into the center of the arena and takes his place across from him and Hibiki sighs, suddenly exhausted at the thought of having to run around until he's expended all his stamina. He doesn't even feel like enduring a hit anymore.

With Yamato knowing who he is, there's no point in continuing to hide. Even if everyone else finds out, Yamato has already made it clear that he's not going to force him to do anything he doesn't want, unless that's changed between them too.

And maybe, just maybe, he can get out of these classes if he performs.

When Professor Matsumoto summons his Orobas, Hibiki doesn't hesitate. He summons Titania and strikes it down with a Bufudyne, following up with a ice dance. Overkill? Yes. But does he care? No.

The arena is silent as he recalls Tatiana until Daichi breaks it, "Hibiki, what the hell?"

"What the hell indeed." Hibiki looks back to his Professor to see the man getting to his feet, face twisted into a scowl. "I tried to give you a break, but it seems you're looking for a fight today. I'll be happy to accept."

Hibiki frowns, starting to feel the first tendrils of regret creeping in. He wasn't looking for a fight, just a quick battle followed by an exit. Professor Matsumoto summons a King Frost and stands behind the large demon smirking.

Quickly withdrawing Titania, Hibiki sends out Suzaku and watches as his opponent steps back in uncertainty. He doesn't give him a chance to retreat, Suzaku casts Inferno, destroying the King Frost and sending all the students running for the exits to escape the suffocating heat.

First shock, then fury crosses the professor's face as he recalls Suzaku to his phone. Hibiki stares back at the professor while subtly loosening his own tie. This could have gone better.

"Have you been hiding your strength all along?" Matsumoto questions through clenched teeth.

"Yes."

"Why?" Hibiki shrugs, it's not worth getting into a morality discussion right now. "I suppose now we know why Chief Hotsuin seems so fond of you," he mutters bittlerly. "Get out, I'll let them know you're coming."

He doesn't need to be told twice. Hibiki escapes the arena, sucking in the fresh air and feeling it cool his sweat slicked skin. Maybe inferno really was overkill. He doesn't see Daichi or the rest of their classmates anywhere, but he's not going to Yamato's office again either. Instead, he heads to Otome's office and plops down on her couch.

She frowns over at him, "You don't look injured today, but a little red. Do you have a fever?"

Hibiki shakes his head, "No, the arena got hit with Inferno, I'm still recovering from it."

"Inferno! Was the professor trying to teach someone a lesson?"

"He tried, but I won and he kicked me out, so I'm here."

Otome's eyebrows raise, "You won? Does that mean you're done pretending?"

Hibiki gives her a small smile, "If I say yes, can I stay here?"

"I don't know how I feel about you using my office as your personal break room, but now that the cat's out of the bag," she wheels over to him. "Let me see your demons and I'll think about it."

"Deal," he grins, already pulling out his phone.

She looks over his shoulder as he scrolls through his current stock. "Impressive," Otome murmurs as he scrolls past his Byakko and Suzaku. "No wonder the Chief is so stuck on you."

Hibiki grimaces.

"Yanagiya-san, I need...ah Hibiki." Yamato pauses in the doorway and stares between the two of them. He still looks as professional as ever, not an untucked shirt in sight as Yamato's violet eyes scrutinize him.

"Speak of the devil," Hibiki says quietly and Otome shoots him a look.

"Hello Chief, Hibiki was just showing me his demons."

"I'd like to see those too actually." Hibiki's eyes widen as Yamato takes a seat next to him, pressing their legs together and Hibiki sighs. Somethings really never change.

A pale hand reaches out to tuck his curls behind his ear to get a better view and it's all he can do to stay in his spot and continue scrolling, ignoring the quietly amused chuckle Otome makes. Yamato is still terrible about personal space and the touch is far too intimate for the distance between them now.

"Impressive as always, Hibiki," Yamato says quietly and Hibiki swears he feels the brush of lips against his ear. He recoils back from the other male, staring at him warningly. They don't have that relationship anymore. "Hibiki…"

"Chief?" Otome interrupts and Hibiki sends her a grateful look. "Did you need something from me?"

Yamato stares blankly at her for a moment, "Oh. That's right. I needed...Hibiki's medical records."

"What?" Hibiki turns around and glares at Yamato's hand, inches away from his hair.

Yamato drops his hand, but doesn't move away. "Apparently you made quite the impression in class today. So much that they want to move you up and take a deeper look into your history to see how we could have possibly missed this." Yamato smirks, "No one understands how you hid it for so long, yet are so clearly skilled."

"So, now I have to move to the top class and obey whatever they say."

"Nobody makes you do anything you don't want, Hibiki," Yamato answers wearily.

"Unless they lie about it."

Otome wisely rolls back to her computer.

"I didn't lie."

"You certainly weren't honest about it."

"You didn't even tell me you attended this school," Yamato counters.

"You didn't tell me you're in charge of everything I'm against!"

"Hibiki, I'm trying!"

"Trying what, Yamato?"

He sighs, "I know you don't like some of the things I do, but I'm trying to fix this."

Hibiki glares at him and crosses his arms, "Prove it then. Change."

There's a brief pause. "And you'll join me?"

"Yes." Yamato hesitates again. "Ask what you want, Yamato," Hibiki tells him firmly.

Yamato glances away. He's still unused to this more aggressive side of Hibiki and he doesn't like it. "I want everything back."

"What is everything?"

"Hibiki."

He holds firm, "I don't want any miscommunications this time."

Yamato shifts slightly away, "You're still angry with me."

"Of course."

"Hibiki, I want you back, all of you. I want us to fight together again and I don't want you to pull away from me anymore."

"And what do I get from this?"

"You'll be my equal," Yamato answers immediately. "You don't have to take classes or participate in the trainings. We can work together."

Hibiki shakes his head with a small disbelieving smile, "Do you really think that'll be approved?"

"I don't care what they say." Yamato grabs his hands, "If you join with me, they can't actually stop us. There's no chance of them overpowering the two of us together."

"Alright," Hibiki finally agrees and Yamato breathes a sigh of relief. "Compromise on your ideals and we have a deal."

Yamato winces at the implications of the word 'deal' and Hibiki knows he understands. "What are the compromises?"

"We can talk about that later."

He watches Yamato waver. This is where Yamato's trust in him will be determined. Will Yamato trust him to do the best thing for both of them and accept or will he assume the worst and refuse?

Yamato stares into his eyes and he does his best to give nothing away. The younger male sighs and holds out his hand. "I agree," he responds resolutely.

HIbiki smiles at him, blind trust from Yamato is a precious gift indeed. "Oh, you want to shake on it? I thought you'd want to seal it with a kiss. I guess this is fine too." He sticks out his hand and Yamato yanks him forward into a tight hug.

"You made me suffer," he murmurs into Hibiki's shoulder.

Hibiki pats his back reassuringly, "Through suffering comes wisdom."