By the time Tamaki had caught up with him, Kyouya was already getting in the elevator, about to push the button for the doctor's level.
He reached out and grabbed his hand. "Kyouya, you said you wouldn't."
"Actually, I didn't." He said flatly as the doors slid shut and the elevator started moving.
"Kyouya! Just give him a chance! What could the doctor really do, anyways?"
Kyouya glared sharply at him. "You find our staff lacking?"
Tamaki did his best to glare back. "Th-That's not what this is about and you know it."
"While the delusion in itself isn't detrimental to his health, it could be a symptom of a larger problem."
Tamaki grabbed Kyouya's shoulders and leaned forward, trying to press his point. "I know that, but just give Kaoru a little time to try! It's bad enough that we bullied him into talking about something personal like that!" He paused, thinking for a moment. "Plus, if there was a larger problem surely your family's doctors would have noticed by now." Tamaki added smugly.
Kyouya scoffed at the trick statement. "If I didn't know any better, I might be tempted to say I'm rubbing off on you."
The elevator pinged loudly as the doors opened, revealing a nurse pushing an elderly lady in a wheel chair. There was an awkward pause as all parties involved took in the situation, with Kyouya backed against the wall of the elevator, Tamaki entirely too close and looming over him slightly, the nurse blinking, entirely unsure how to react, and the elderly lady having the decency to look vaguely appalled.
The moment passed and the doors began closing, letting through a Kids these days. Honestly. before shutting completely.
Tamaki tilted his head curiously. "I wonder why they didn't get in?"
Kyouya shoved him away firmly, pushing the button while Tamaki was distracted.
"Ow! Mommy! Why did you push me!?
"I swear to god, you have to be timing these things."
"What things?"
"…nevermind."
"Mommy! Why do you keep saying that!? And don't pretend like you didn't just press that button!"
Kyouya sighed. "You do realize that both the Doctor and Hikaru's rooms are on the same floor, right?"
Tamaki froze, turning to hide his embarrassment. "…O-Of course! I just wanted to make sure…"
"Of course you did."
-oOo-
He couldn't understand it. Or maybe he could and he just couldn't accept it. Or maybe it was because he was high as a kite from all the painkillers they had him on and he could hardly even remember that two and two equaled five. But that wasn't important right now. What was important was that Id had completely taken over his brother.
He couldn't understand it. Or maybe he could and he just couldn't accept it. Or maybe it was because he was so out of it he was thinking in circles and never actually thinking about it. But that wasn't important. What was important was Kaoru. That much he could manage, because even if the world imploded, the fabric of space and time warped, Tamaki finally grew a brain, or any other inconceivable event occurred, Kaoru would always be important.
But Kaoru wasn't there anymore. Only Id was there.
He didn't know when the line between Kaoru and Id had gotten so blatant, but it had, because no matter how he looked at it, that hadn't been his brother. It just wasn't. It looked liked him, sure. But it just wasn't. It was Id. That was the only other option.
He couldn't understand it. Or maybe he could and he just couldn't accept it. Or maybe he just really needed to get off these damn drugs so he could think straight for more than thirty seconds.
Because no matter how much it seemed like there was nothing left of Kaoru in that body, there had to be some way to get him back. There just had to be because he refused to believe that it could be any other way. The very idea that the only remnants of his brother were hatred and malice was terrifying in a way he couldn't describe. He knew he was still Kaoru, still his brother, but he couldn't help but seclude himself in the hopes of evading whatever sadistic plans he knew were coming.
Because Id was plotting something no doubt, as he would stop at nothing to see him miserable. Id was a vengeful bastard like that and obviously hadn't seen enough of his misery to placate whatever self-righteous notion of justice he believed in. Hence why he had seen fit to take Kaoru away. Again.
He couldn't understand it. Or maybe he could and he just couldn't accept it. Or maybe he needed to murder whoever the bastard was that invented painkillers because damn it he couldn't focus and he was a failure as a brother for letting this happen and he needed Kaoru more than anything right now and… and…
He couldn't understand it.
"Hikaru, are you awake?" He heard vaguely.
"Ngh." was the most intelligent answer he could give. But he managed to look in the general direction of the door to see Kyouya and Tamaki coming in before closing his eyes again. "Fucking drugs."
"…I'll suggest for the doctor to revise the dosage." He heard a quick scratching sound.
"How are you feeling? Notice anything odd?" Tamaki said nervously. Hikaru heard something that sounded vaguely like someone being elbowed in the stomach.
"High." He said flatly. "That's kind of overriding everything else at the moment."
"I see. The doctor advised us to beware of any cognitive issues, so inform a nurse if you feel that anything, no matter how seemingly unrelated, seems off to you." Kyouya said rather impersonally.
"Ngh."
He heard someone sigh.
"Well then, we'll leave you to rest!" Tamaki said with forced energy. "And don't hesitate to ask for our support!"
He opened his eyes again to see the two leaving.
"Wait…" He said weakly.
They turned to look at him.
"…Is…Does Kaoru seem to be doing alright?"
He was surprised that Kyouya was the one to answer.
"If I might be so bold as to say, I think he misses his brother."
Hikaru turned his head forlornly, closing his eyes once again as he heard the door close.
"So do I."
-oOo-
He opened his eyes slowly, taking in the empty room. Haruhi had left at some point while he had been asleep, leaving a note saying that she had gone to get food and check on Hikaru.
Hikaru…
He bit back a sob, the misery of separation overwhelming him and eating away at his very being. It was like a tangible weight that pulled at his heart and soul, crushing his will to persevere. He gazed forlornly at the descending sun, bleeding out into the pristine blue sky and leaving the cold lifeless night behind.
"Don't feel lonely sky, my light has left me too. Perhaps we are both doomed to loose ourselves in this darkness?" He said quietly. "Yes, maybe that's been my fate from the start. I was never worthy of walking aside my light to begin with... harboring such shameful desires and selfishly clinging to his affection."
He couldn't help the tears that spilled, curling into himself and choking down the sobs.
"I can't do this… I can't… I can't take this… it hurts so much… and… and…. AND THAT'S ENOUGH! FUCK I CAN'T TAKE THIS!!" He yelled suddenly, slamming his fist into the bedside table.
He stood abruptly, walking over to the sink and washing his face. "Tch. Nothing's ever going to get done at this rate! I have to do everything myself, don't I?"
"Were you saying something Kaoru?" Haruhi's voice came from the door.
"Oh Haruhi! You're back? How was lunch?" He said with convincing cheerfulness.
"I'm surprised you didn't ask how Hikaru is doing." She said walking over towards him.
His eye twitched only slightly. "Well, it hasn't been that long… and the doctors already said he's going to be alright…"
Haruhi eyed him carefully. "Kaoru… are you feeling okay?"
"As good as can be expected." He said sarcastically.
"…Are you sure?"
"Haruhi," He said with only the slightest edge. "I said I'm fine."
"It's just… you're acting kind of irritable. Almost like Hika-"
Before she knew it, her back was against the wall and his hand was poised at her throat, tensed with malicious intent.
"Say it." He said gravely. "I dare you. Say it."
"Kaoru…what…?"
"God how I'd love to tear up that prettily oblivious face of yours! You don't even have the slightest clue as to your part in this! Oh how I'd love to crush your lovely neck and watch you choke on your own mortality. And now this." He said seethingly, smiling all the while.
A look of realization crossed her face. "…Id…?"
He pulled back, blinking blankly before grinning again. "Well what do you know, there are people with an IQ slightly larger than their age! Tell me was it the attitude or the death threats that gave me away? …On second thought, don't even answer that. I don't care about you."
Haruhi didn't flinch at his slander. "You know I can't very well just let you leave."
"Of course not, we've got to have our fearless heroine save the day, right?" He laughed heartily. "Get a grip kid, you can't stop me."
Haruhi frowned. "You're right, maybe I can't, but…" Making a quick duck out of Id's reach, she dashed toward the bed and hitting the button to call the nurse's station. Realizing her intent, Id swore under his breath, barely managing to catch her and cover her mouth before the nurse's brightly impersonal voice chimed in.
"Good Evening Hitachiin-san, is there something I can get for you?"
Haruhi tugged and bit his hand, but he remained unaffected.
"Ah! No, I'm quite alright. I accidentally hit the button with my elbow." He said innocently.
"I see. However should you need anything, please don't hesitate to call!" She said cheerfully detached. The speaker clicked and the line cut off.
"Goodness me, it seems like I've got a crafty little bugger here." He said menacingly. "Well, that's not too hard to resolve."
Dragging her over to the closet, he shoved her inside, jamming the door shut with a nearby chair.
"Sorry love, but entertaining as you are, I've got bigger cockroaches to kill. All offense meant." He taunted, grinning to himself as he heard the faint sound of her yelling at him and struggling against the door.
How amusing, really. Who would have known that other people were so fun to mess with? If I could make a quick detour on the way… Maybe this troublesome plan might end up interesting after all. And seeing as I'm being good and getting that guy there without hours of angsting in between, I think I can rightfully have a few minutes of fun.
Id sighed wryly.
Really, what kind of lame brained plan is this anyways? Something this deluded was better off staying in dreamland…
-oOo-
Kaoru was dreaming. He had to be, because a dream was the only place that you could look in a mirror and not see your reflection. Plus his dreams always had a way of being nicely symbolic like that.
He sighed helplessly, running his fingers over the cool surface of the glass where his mirror image should have been.
"Because right now, I'm without my reflection, right?"
"You're a sap of the highest order, I swear."
Kaoru looked to his left, seeing the spitting image of himself with a cocky grin on his face.
"…Id." He said quietly, making no attempt to veil the contempt in his voice.
"Naturally."
"…This is-"
"-all my fault?" He interjected snidely. "Don't lie to yourself."
"No, this is just a dream, is what I was going for, because no matter how poetic it would be, talking to a split personality should be impossible. And I'm well aware of my faults thank you very much."
"You sure about that?"
"Not really."
Id stared at him unwaveringly. "So?"
"So…what?"
Id shot him a disbelieving look. "Tch. Don't turn into your brother on me here. I had better expectations of you than that."
Kaoru thought for a moment. "You want to know what I'm going to do about this."
"Good boy. And…?"
"…I'm working on it."
Id shook his head in exasperation. "Tch. Fine, I'll help you sort it out a bit. For starters, what's the issue at hand?"
Kaoru regarded him warily, but answered. "Hikaru thinks that you've taken over again."
"Indeed. And why do think that is?"
"Probably an effect of the accident."
"Which would make it…?"
"Some form of mental illness or delusion."
"Which means you can…"
Kaoru said nothing, at a loss.
Id leaned over to whisper something in his ear.
"IT MEANS YOU CAN DO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!" He yelled harshly, laughing as Kaoru flinched away from him. "Did you seriously think I'd help you? I'm the evil alter-ego, remember?"
"Asshole." Kaoru growled, covering the offended ear.
"Listen here genius, that retard brother of yours is delusional, there's no doubt about that. If I were in control I would have tricked him into overdosing himself or pushed him down a flight of stairs by now. But he's so screwed in the head that the only way to convince him that you're not me would probably be to act like my complete opposite. And face it, I'm part of you. No matter what you do, there will always be some of me in there. It's inescapable!"
Kaoru gritted his teeth, frowning. "Is that all you're here to say? This it's a hopeless situation?"
"More or less."
"Fuck off."
"My, my, no need to get so testy, Ka-o-ru." He said mockingly, stepping between Kaoru and the mirror. "Or else you might really turn into me."
He was just moments away from completely exploding at Id when he noticed that behind him, there was a reflection in the mirror.
"You have a reflection…"
Id's reflection…!
Going around Id, he reached into the mirror and grabbed his reflections arm, feeling the layers of the dream peeling away, and his thoughts dividing.
-oOo-
Id shivered as he remembered the sensation of the separation of thoughts and quickly rapped on the looming wooden door. The dimwitted woman at the nurse's station was charmed with him enough to direct him towards Kyouya and Tamaki's current location, a plush office available for high-class businessmen to use when visiting the sickly.
A faint come in was heard and he turned the polished gold handle, greeted by the site of Tamaki dead asleep, slouched over a rather thick book, and Kyouya typing away steadily at his laptop.
"What are you doing out of bed Kaoru? Where's Haruhi?" Kyouya said monotonously.
"I was getting kind of stiff from lying around so much, so I thought I'd see what the two of you were up to." Id said with forced geniality, grateful that Kyouya was too absorbed in his work to realize the subtle stiffness of his tone or the fact that he had completely ignored the issue of Haruhi. "Are you… researching about…?" He didn't bother finishing the sentence, trying to sound hesitant and hurt.
"Attempting to in any case."
"Have you found anything?" He asked meekly, injecting just the right amount of fragile hope.
Kyouya sighed and pushed up his glasses, still not focusing on Id. "I've gathered a list of delusions, syndromes, or mental illnesses, that are associated with trauma to the temporal lobe, but none have yet to stick out as definite matches."
"I see…" Id replied quietly, already growing weary of the innocent act. Let's try a different flavor of mindfuck for a while. "It's so hard not being able to do anything for him… I just don't know what to do with myself anymore…"
Kyouya's hands paused for only a mere moment. "That's understandable, but you can rest assured that seeing as his delusion concerns yourself, you will be involved in its treatment.
Id kept silent just long enough for Kyouya's head to raise questioningly, almost sauntering towards him, making no attempt to hide the subtle sway of his hips, and drawing out each syllable with an breezy sort of sensuality.
"You know senpai… I very emotionally distraught right now… and seeing as we're such …good friends…"
With a light hand, Id slowly slid the laptop closed, trailing his fingers up the other man's chest and neck to caress his cheek. Kyouya remained stone-faced, even as lips and breath tickled his ear as Id whispered.
"…maybe you could… comfort me…?"
Kyouya's eyebrow rose only barely as Id drew away, smirking wickedly, and leaned closer, closer, closer—
—and yelped as Kyouya's firm hand gripped his hair, pulling him back and away from the other boy's face.
"I don't think Hikaru would appreciate that proposition, though you are no doubt only doing it to spite him, isn't that right Id?" Kyouya asked coolly.
Id did his best to look hurt and appalled, but a twisted smirk and only vaguely psychotic laughter soon surfaced.
"Tch. You're good. Too good. I've gotten too used to dealing with idiots I guess!" He said with all the glee of a child on Christmas morning. "I know it's obvious now, but what gave me away? Was I too forward? Or have my acting skills just gotten rusty?"
Kyouya sighed lightly, setting aside his laptop and weaving his hands together on his lap in a way that screamed I'm looking down on you. "I'm sure you're well aware that… well for simplicity's sake lets just say Kaoru… is quite the romantic. Yes?"
Id sneered. "Pitifully so."
"Which is to say that given that he has someone he cherishes in a romantic sense, he would sooner pine away until his dying breath than look elsewhere for affection or comfort."
"Tch, not if I had anything to say about it… but yes, most likely…" Id stiffened suddenly. "...ah, so you figured it out, huh? Though admittedly they were doing a pretty half-assed job of trying to keep it under wraps…"
Kyouya brushed off the subject. "So what brings you here exactly? I'm somehow hard pressed to believe that you came in search of comforting. I suppose the more important question would be why you're here at all. Kaoru was lying about his state of mind perhaps?"
"Hah! Not quite Kyou-chan. He's chasing the delusion that some how that guy can solve this whole situation. I'm just making sure he gets there within the century, and I figure that gives me the right to get a few kicks along the way."
Kyouya barely suppressed his flinch at the nickname. "'That guy'? You mean Hikaru?"
"Sorry Kyou-chan that's a secret. But to answer question you really wanted to ask, yes he has a plan, hair-brained as it may be."
He didn't acknowledge or deny Id's accusation, instead opting see just how much Id was willing to talk. "And you're okay with that?"
Id huffed, crossing his arms in a distinctly annoyed manner. "Tch. That retard is beyond helping. Both of them are actually. I figure I'll just get my jabs in where I can and hope for the best. Fighting it takes too much effort." Id continued to grumble under his breath. Kyouya swore he heard a 'Resentment and all' my ass but decided not to question it. He opened his mouth to try to continue analyzing Id, but was interrupted by an exaggerated yawn from behind the other boy.
"Oh! Looks like I fell asleep again! Why didn't you wake me up Kyouya…?" Tamaki trailed off looking back and forth between Id and Kyouya. "Kaoru what are you doing up? Did something happen?"
From where Tamaki was sitting, he couldn't see the malicious grin that spread over Id's face.
"Aw… That's too bad, Kyou-chan. It looks like we've been interrupted." He said lustily, letting his hand drift across Kyouya's chest as he circled his chair, dipping his head down to run his tongue over his ear.
"We'll just have to continue some other time, now won't we?"
Tamaki's chair screeched and tumble over noisily as he shot up, looking torn between rage and embarrassment. "KAORU! Y-You unscrupulous devil! How dare you disrespect your mother like that!?"
Id stood up, blinking in confusion. "Mother? …Ah right, your little familial delusion. One big, happy, incestuous family and all that." He strode over to where Tamaki stood incensed, cutting off anything he might have tried to say with a sharp tug on his collar, pulling his face down until they stood eye to eye. "Tch, you foolish king, I'll have pity on you and give you a little hint, eh? You've probably heard the saying before… 'He who chases two rabbits catches neither'? Do yourself a favor and mull that over for a bit."
Having said that, Id patted him on the cheek condescendingly, turning and strolling towards the door leisurely.
Tamaki blinked dumbly, eyes trailing after Id's hand as he walked away, completely dumbfounded by the boy's words before he noticed something.
"Kaoru… Wait, what happened to your hand?"
Id paused already half-way out the door, raising the hand in question. "Oh, you mean this?" He said with mock innocence, indicating the slightly bleeding bite mark on his finger. He looked back at the two with a scheming smirk. "Let's just say I had a little run in with a rather feisty little raccoon."
Id's laughter filled the room, resounding through the hall even as he shut the door.
Tamaki rubbed the back of his neck, thoroughly perplexed. "What was up with Kaoru? And what was up with that… that…"
"I do believe he was making fun of you."
He blushed indignantly. "I figured out that much. You looked pretty unbothered though."
"Being bothered by it would have only encouraged him. More importantly, that wasn't Kaoru."
"WHAT!? How is Hikaru out of bed!?"
"He isn't. That was Id."
"Id? As in—!?"
"Precisely."
Tamaki paused. "You can tell?"
"No, but he confirmed it himself, so I'm inclined to believe it."
"Then why are we just sitting here!? He's probably going after Hikaru!"
"That's the plan." Tamaki shot him a disbelieving look. "Kaoru has an idea apparently."
"It's rather uncharacteristic of you to trust him about that."
"I'm inclined to think that Id actually talking to him will have some effect, regardless of Kaoru's reasons, but whether or not it's good is yet to be seen. But that aside, aren't you even the slightest bit concerned about the raccoon comment?"
"Yes actually. Shame on you Kyouya! I thought you had better sense than to keep raccoons in a hospital! Animals can be therapeutic and all, but raccoons could have rabies! Something like a dog would have been better! I could have lent you Antoinette—!"
"Tamaki, there are no animals in this hospital, raccoons or otherwise."
"Then what the was he talking about?"
A tense silence settled as they contemplated.
The idea of there being a raccoon in one of our hospitals is ridiculous, it would have been exterminated long ago, so that means—
—he was probably referring to something else. But that was definitely a bite mark, so something living. Maybe a person? The only person that comes to mind when I think of a raccoon is—!
The realization dawned on them simultaneously.
"HARUHI!!"
-oOo-
AN: Egad! It's a miracle! I still live! Salutations and apologizes, as it has once again been a while. Some of you probably hate my guts for bringing Id back, but he's fun to write, what can I say? Plus he has a purpose. (Probably) Sorry if this chapter (or anything I write) makes no sense. I swear to god I'm going to be the mentally deranged one by the time I finish this monster.
Another huge thank you to (a. everyone who is reading, (b. anyone who reviewed/favorited/what-have-you, (c. anyone who has stuck by me despite the excruciatingly long silent periods.
On another note, I foresee one more chapter and an epilogue of sorts. Don't hold your breath as per usual.
Also brace for twincest (as in HikaruxKaoru / incest between twin brothers / whatever you want to call it), because ultimately I am a fan. I've tried to keep it pretty understated thus far, so this is your warning. Nothing M-rated of course, but it will be pretty prominent. If you think that will offend you, I highly suggest you discontinue your readership and I thank you for you patronage thus far.
That being said, I hope you enjoyed! ^^