An Implausible Epiphany

Rating: PG
Warnings: CONTAINS A SPOILER. DON'T LIKE DON'T READ.

Disclaimer: This was for Hyper-chan who shares my love of this couple.

THIS CONTAINS A SPOILER. A BIG, BIG SPOILER. YOU ARE WARNED.

Sometimes things just don't feel right. You wake up one morning, feel that awkward mist in the air and you know the day ahead has something in store for you that you are completely unprepared for. Yet you never see it coming; it blindsides you straight in the face. You think you're on top of your game and then in a split second you're barely able to cling for dear life. It's so quick, so unexpected, sometimes so unordinary and just plain weird you would never even consider something of the sort, regardless of whether your intuition recognized that something was afoot. It just hits you like an oncoming train. It's known as an epiphany, defined as "a revelation in the everyday world, where the whatness of a common thing or gesture becomes radiant and deeply comprehended to the observer ", or better yet a "sudden intuitive leap of understanding, especially through an ordinary but striking occurrence".

And you never know when one's going to jump out and smack you straight in the face. It is a crouching predator, waiting for that moment when its prey thinks everything is alright and bearable, even good, and BAM. It attacks!

Sohma Kukai unfortunately was victim to one of these attacks. He just didn't see it coming...

------

"Kukai-kun! Wait up please!" A girl with long hair tied up daintily with ribbons fluttered down the sidewalk, eager to meet her companion.

"Nadeshiko-chan! How are you doing?" Kukai shot her a big grin as he scratched the back of his head. He then yawned, proceeding to rub some of the sleep out of his eyes. It had been a hard practice yesterday; he'd slept in this morning and gone to bed early last night yet he was still exhausted.

"I'm doing fine. You look exhausted." She replied, flattening down her skirt as a gust of wind whipped her hair into a frenzy.

"Yeah. Soccer was harsh. I barely did any homework..." He yawned again and held the door open for his friend and entered the building after her.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Kukai-kun." She smiled at him sweetly, causing a noticeable blush to dance across the jack's face. "I hope you have an easy day to make up for all the trouble you've been through!"

"Thanks, Nadeshiko-chan. You too. I'll see you after school?"

She waved as she walked away. "Of course!"

He waved back, doing his best to suppress the growing blush. He failed.

---

Kukai paid no attention in any of his classes all day. He slept through the morning ones, and if he wasn't sleeping he preferred to let his thoughts wander to her rather than his work. He rested with his head his elbow, which was placed conveniently on his desk, and tilted it to the side.

He was surprised none of his teachers reprimanded his actions. They didn't seem to care. He was a little uncomfortable they didn't notice his lack of participation, but he quickly assumed it was simply because he was a guardian. Guardians did have an excellent reputation.

He nodded, assured that was the cause, and let his thoughts drift back to his gorgeous Nadeshiko-chan.

She's so polite and so sweet... it's hard not to care for her. It's like she's perfect. I've never met anyone in my life with such amazing culinary skills, either. And she's so pretty...

A perverted smirk adorned his face as his thoughts began to slip into the gutter. He was yanked out of them with a yelp when he heard the final bell ring.

Ignoring the startled, shocked looks he received, he gathered his belongings and began his trek to the garden where he could see his queen again.

He always thought that Nadeshiko and Tadase would end up together. As the King and Queen, they spent so much time together and seemed as if they really knew each other inside and out. Besides, the previous King and Queen chairs that he knew his first year as a guardian had dated, so he sort of had expectations Nadeshiko and Tadase would.

Not that it bothered him they didn't. He liked knowing Nadeshiko was up for grabs. She never really seemed that interested in guys, refusing (politely, of course) most of the boys who bravely asked for a date. He always watched with a glare, internally insulting every boy who was lacking something Nadeshiko's future husband would need. Of course, he fit perfectly into that role.

With a careless shove, he opened the front door to the garden, alarming Tadase.

"What's wrong?"

Kukai glanced up. "Oh, nothing really. Just thinking. You know."

Tadase nodded and took another sip of his drink. "What about?"

"What kind of guy Nadeshiko-chan would date..."

Kukai blinked, quite shocked as he watched the normally well-mannered king spit his tea all over the table. "Um... Tadase?"

Tadase thwacked himself on the chest a few times to clear his throat, and then sent Kukai a helpless look. "Kukai, look, I have to tell you something..."

"If it's about how you and Nadeshiko are secretly dating, I'll understand that."

Tadase blushed, biting his lip and examining the ground. "N-no, that's not quite it..."

"Well? Then what is it?"

"I can't believe he hasn't told you... he said he would..." Tadase muttered quietly, glancing over to the jack.

"What? Who told me what?"

"Sit down."

He complied, dropping onto the bench across from Tadase. "Yeah?"

"Kukai-kun..." Tadase took a deep breath. "Nadeshiko's a boy."

"..."

"Kukai...?"

"..."

"Um. Yeah. His name's Nagihiko. In the Fujisaki family the males are trained to become Oyamas... That's why he goes by Nadeshiko..."

"..."

"Kukai-kun, um..." Tadase moved away with a scared expression. "Are you okay?"

"WHATTTTT!??" Kukai hissed through clenched teeth.

"It's not a big deal. He's still the same friend and the same person. He's just a he, not a she. So calm down. Please calm down!"

Kukai sat in silence for a few more moments, clenching and unclenching his fists.

Tadase heard the girls (and boy) entering and turned to Kukai with a worried face. "He didn't want you to know because he was worried you'd act different. He likes you, Kukai. He doesn't want you uncomfortable around him. So try to be normal?"

Kukai's expression finally relaxed, his coloring resumed its tan color.

"Okay."

---

That afternoon could have placed Kukai up for nomination of an Oscar Award. He saved his pent up frustration for soccer practice, where he literally creamed everyone on his team and played more aggressively than any of his teammates had ever even attempted.

His coach complimented his enthusiasm and participation. Kukai just shrugged.

School was harder too. Nadeshiko- Nagihiko –caught him in the hall again, bidding him the same greeting and farewell as the day before.

He still spent time in class thinking about Nadeshiko. More out of disbelief and shock that he had fallen for a boy. And fallen hard.

Why does he have to be a boy?!

Kukai watched him pass through the line during lunch, utterly frustrated with himself.

He's pretty... wait, I mean handsome... WAIT HE'S A BOY DAMMIT. THAT'S THE IMPORTANT PART!

Over the course of the day he pounded his head against a wall more than a few times and earned more than a few stares as well.

What is WRONG with me!?

His wall hiding his feelings for Nagihiko slowly began to crumble over a few days. He kept to himself more often, turning down a few requests fir guardian outings. Not only that, he began to ignore Nadeshiko's greetings in the morning.

He even went so far as skipping some after school meetings in the garden, choosing to spend his time thinking about what to do as far away as possible.

Why the hell can't I get over it? Nagihiko, Nadeshiko, damn it I don't even know what to call her- HIM anymore! He released a frustrated sigh as he leaned his head against a tree at the park.

He's a boy. It should be so much easier to get over some stupid little crush knowing that. So why can't I? He closed his eyes, hoping that would just end every thought and every picture he saw of Nadeshiko.

"Kukai-kun?"

His eyes snapped open, staring up into the eyes of the exact person he was dreading to see.

"N-nadeshiko-chan, what are you doing here?"

"Likewise, Kukai-kun." She, he dropped down next to Kukai, staring at him curiously. "What's wrong? You've been acting strange..."

"No I haven't!" Kukai interrupted immediately, glaring angrily. "I have not been acting weird!"

"You're acting weird right now, Kukai-kun." Nadeshiko murmured, staring at his friend. "Why? What's bothering you?"

"It's not important. Go away."

"It must be important. It's bothering you, Kukai-kun. Most things don't bother you. You're really strong."

A blush formed on Kukai's face much to his dismay. "N-no it's not. Go away Nagi-I mean Nadeshiko!!!"

Nadeshiko stared at him as Kukai clamped his hand over his mouth, internally cussing at his slip.

"Sorry Nadeshiko-chan, I guess I was thinking about someone else..." Kukai attempted to cover his mistake but was shushed with a wave of Nadeshiko's hand.

"No you weren't." Their eyes met for a split second. Kukai jolted his head away and stared at the ground, uncomfortable with the whole situation.

"Please relax, Kukai-kun. I didn't want to tell you because I thought you'd be like this."

"What do you mean like this!? You've been lying to us the whole time! You've been lying to me..." He paused, shifting his body as far away from the other male as he could. "You should have said something earlier."

"Maybe. But I'm glad I didn't, Kukai."

"No! You shouldn't be! What am I supposed to call you now? Nadeshiko or Nagihiko? I'm going to have to keep calling you a girl! That's so weird, you go change in the girls' bathroom and you wear skirts and girls' underwear and... and that's a little awkward. Doesn't it feel weird?!"

"No. I'm used to it. And please keep calling me Nadeshiko."

"You shouldn't have to be used to it, though!" Kukai turned back to face Nadeshiko, grabbing his shoulders and shaking him back and forth. "You're a guy! You should act like a guy! I don't care if it's family tradition or not, no one should be suppressed like that!"

Nadeshiko smiled a bit and looked down at the ground, blushing. "Thank you for caring, Kukai-kun."

Another blush shot across Kukai's face, making him twitch and yank his arms away.

The two sat in awkward silence for awhile, Kukai finally breaking the ice with a little confession.

"I just... you didn't have to lie." He looked to the ground, unable to meet Nadeshiko's eyes. "I mean, I would have understood, I guess. But you're so pretty... it's so unbelievable that you're not female..." He blushed, closing his eyes and resigning himself to admit his embarrassing feelings. "I liked you..."

Nadeshiko blinked, surprised at his friend's confession but not too surprised, as he had expected as much. "But you saw me turn down all the other guys..."

"They weren't right for you."

The awkward silence resumed, Kukai flustered with embarrassment and Nadeshiko feeling heavy pangs of guilt for leading a friend on.

"Kukai."

"Nagihiko."

"Please call me Nadeshiko."

"Why should I?"

"I still have to keep it a secret. You and Tadase are the only ones that know."

"Not even teachers?"

"Not even teachers."

"Why such a secret?"

"Because then everyone would act like your acting right now."

Kukai met his friends gaze for a bit then turned his attention away, releasing a small sigh.

"Sorry. It's just... wow."

Nadeshiko nodded. "I'm sorry for not telling you. And leading you on like that..."

"It's safe with me."

"What?"

"Your secret. It's safe with me. I won't tell."

"Thank you, Kukai-kun." Nadeshiko leaned against his friends arm gently.

"But Nadeshiko..."

"Yes, Kukai-kun?"

"I knew you were a boy for a few days."

"Yes you did. What about it?"

"I still liked you even though you were a boy."

And the silence returned once more, but only for a short amount of time.

"Kukai-kun?"

"..."

"I knew you were a boy too."

Kukai scoffed a little. "And? That's sort of obvious."

"I still lead you on. I liked you too."

The boys both paused, unable to look at each other. Then simultaneously they turned to each other, locking eyes once again. Nadeshiko lifted his hand, running his hand down the side of Kukai's face. Kukai's hands found their way around Nadeshiko's back, and the two boys sat cuddled together for a few moments, each caught up in confusing yet undeniable feelings for the other.

Nadeshiko rested his head against Kukai shoulder, turning to so he could see his friend's face.

"Nadeshiko?"

"Yes?"

"No one besides Tadase knows you're a boy..."

"That is true."

"So I could date you."

Nadeshiko blinked, pulling away. "What?"

"No one else knows, and Tadase isn't about to spill your secret. So, I mean... and only if you wanted to..."

Nadeshiko blushed. "You still like me."

"Yeah. You still like me, don't you?"

Kukai smirked when he saw Nadeshiko's nod. "I want to hear it."

"I like you too."

"So doesn't this you pretending to be a girl thing work out for the better?"

Nadeshiko smiled. "I think you're the first person who has ever said something like that to me."

"But it's true! I could kiss you and no one would care because I'm a boy and you'd look like a girl and..." His face darkened at what he just said.

Nadeshiko gave him an impish grin. "Kiss me, huh?"

"Y-yeah..."

"Kukai-kun, who says you're going to get to kiss me?"

"Uh..."

"If anyone will be doing the kissing, I will kiss you!"

"What!? HEY!" Nadeshiko silenced him with just that, smashing his lips on the older boy's passionately. They held each other lovingly for a few moments after the kiss, silently thinking about the future.

"When I turn 18, I have to tell everyone."

"That's okay."

"Are you sure you're okay with that?"

"I'll always be okay. I've got you."

Nadeshiko smiled, taking Kukai's hand into his own. "We'd better head back. They're probably worried about us."

Kukai shrugged, pinning Nadeshiko against a tree. "Let them worry."

-----

But an epiphany isn't always a bad thing. Sometimes one allows you to understand something that's always been there. And that's for the better.

PS, guys, i looove hearing from you. Reviews totally and completely make my day. You have no idea how far a single 'Great Story' goes. My happiness meter sky rockets. xD I hope you enjoyed it!!!