Disclaimer: Don't own, blah blah blah.
AN: Hey I'm so sorry for not updating! I'm sorta going crazy over here and it's insane. Anyway, so I want to clear a few things up here since I have pretty much planned out the entire plot. I do plan for this to be hikakao with a good healthy dose of kyotama and moriharu on the side. Hikakao will clearly be a slow burn but I was thinking kyotama might be something already happening while moriharu gets together without anyone being the wiser for a while. But seeing as this is only the second chapter, if anyone has suggestions for a different direction relationship-wise, let me know! I'm a HUGE multishipper when it comes to this fandom. Okie.. on with the story!
Set Me On Fire - Chapter 2: The Ouran Guild
"Hey, it looks like we're here!"
Kaoru sighed in relief as he heard the statement from the hyperactive blonde currently leading the trio to the Ouran Guild. Tamaki and Haruhi were very nice people, he came to find out, but they got frustrating very quickly. At first Kaoru had assumed they were a couple (what with the blonde draping himself all over the petite brunette and continuously turning a remarkable shade of red with every off-handed comment Haruhi made) but it had quickly become apparent that he was wrong. It was clear Tamaki's "lovely daughter" was just as put off by Tamaki's actions as Kaoru himself was. And it seemed the more Haruhi rebuked Tamaki's advances, the more the blonde whined and squealed. By the time the fair-haired mage finally announced their arrival at the guild, his voice had risen a whopping five octaves and Kaoru was convinced his face would forever remain set in the deep red color that currently dusted his cheeks. And all Haruhi did to cause such a reaction was to smile at Tamaki to acknowledge his presence Kaoru thought with a low groan.
His attention was pulled as he felt a small hand enter his own. Looking down, he traced the arm quickly back up to it's female owner. Eyebrow quirked inquistively with a touch of concern lighting her eyes, Haruhi leaned her head in closer. "You okay?" she asked softly, careful not to alert Tamaki to her words. Kaoru smiled gratefully, feeling a little awkward but also greatly comforted. He wasn't sure exactly how she knew what to do to calm him and why he took so easily to her but he guessed it was just her personality. If Tamaki was anything to go by, it wasn't hard for Haruhi to make people like her without any trying on her part. Kaoru was glad regardless, it had been a while since he'd had anyone he felt like he could be friendly towards.
"I'm okay, just a little overwhelmed by your hamster over there," Kaoru murmured, eyes going wide as Tamaki plucked a rose from a nearby floral stall and handed it off to some random lady he happened to pass without even paying the florist. Haruhi pulled his attention as she gave out a short laugh and nodded in a way that spoke of far too much experience.
"Yeah he's always like this. You get used to it, though," she said, causing Kaoru to stiffen. Luckily, Haruhi didn't seem to notice which was something Kaoru was glad for. During the twenty-odd minutes it had taken to get to the guild hall, both mages consistently made little quips like the one Haruhi had just made, suggesting it was obvious he would stay. Kaoru didn't have the heart to let them know the truth but he would when it became necessary. Problem was, Kaoru had always been on the run. It was how he felt most comfortable, and he'd come to realize that he just couldn't settle down even if he tried. He had to keep moving... keep running...
"Anyway, I guess we better take you inside!" Haruhi's voice effectively pulled Kaoru from the lurking shadows of his memories. Shaking his head, he gasped as he finally took in the guild hall directly. The rumors he had heard about the guild were not justified in the slightest. The Ouran guildhall had to be the biggest he had seen yet, with opulence aplenty and elegance to boot. Kaoru could have sworn he saw a swirl of rose petals flow out from the door ahead a bright burst of light as Tamaki opened the doors to the hall. Scrubbing his eyes at the ridiculous vision, he looked up just in time to notice Tamaki and Haruhi both grabbing each of his hands before he was swiftly dragged inside the huge guild hall. Seriously, this thing was built like a castle.
Kaoru was at a loss for words as he gazed around the large hall, taking in the ancient arcitecture and the natural ambience of the place. Everyone inside sat around tables talking and drinking. His eyes were immediately drawn to a dark-haired figure who was making his way towards the trio with a purposeful stride, sunlight glinting off his glasses in a way that stopped Kaoru from reading the teen's expression. "Welcome back Tamaki, Haruhi," the mage said, bowing low in the direction of said people before straightening and turning his head in Kaoru's direction. "And who is this?" he asked, his eyes drawling over Kaoru's body in a way that made him want to cover himself. Not that the guy was creepy or anything, Kaoru just felt the overwhelming sense that he was being analyzed by those steely eyes.
"You could tell he wasn't Hikaru?" Tamaki gasped in wide-eyed fascination. The teen being questioned nodded, apparently finishing his analysis of Kaoru.
"It's quite obvious, after all, if you pay attention to detail," the dark-haired mage responded which made Kaoru quirk a smile. He suddenly liked this other teen, if only for the fact that he wasn't confusing him with this Hikaru character like everyone else seemed to be doing.
"Kaoru," the red-head stated, stretching his hand out in introduction to the other. The mage smiled and took the offered hand in his own very cool one, shaking it in his icy grip.
"Kyoya," the other male responded, his head bowing slightly. Kaoru nodded at Kyoya as his hand was dropped, realizing this was the first time he had been able to properly introduce himself since entering this damn town. It was kind of nice.
"Ice mage?" he questioned with a slight raise of his eyebrow. Kyoya's responding expression was curious as he nodded his affirmation. Kaoru couldn't shake the feeling that Kyoya was cataloging information about him for later, just like he had felt the teen was analyzing him earlier. Maybe knowing things about people is Kyoya's thing Kaoru mused with a slight smirk.
Kyoya gave Kaoru one final once over then turned his eyes back to Tamaki who seemed to be barely containing his excitement behind a very annoyed-looking Haruhi. "Has Hikaru met him yet?" he questioned and Kaoru winced. It was annoying for everyone to refer to 'Hikaru' around him and about him without him knowing who they were all talking about, but with every mention of this person he was feeling more and more apprehensive. The person had to look like him if people were mistaking Kaoru for him... could it be...
"Met who yet?" a voice interrupted from the open door behind Kaoru before Tamaki could reply. Kaoru felt his breath catch in his throat as it was forced out of his lungs in a single moment. He hadn't been paying attention before, his mind straying but there was no mistaking it now.
That scent, he'd always remember it.
After losing everything else, his memories, what his brother looked like, what his voice sounded like, what his name was; the one thing that had remained was the memory of his scent. And it was that scent that greeted him now, so close he need only turn around and reach out to be enveloped in it. After everything they took from him, his nose would never fail him.
It was perhaps the realization that his brother was right there that kept him frozen in place, his shoulders taut and his fingers curling painfully into his palms. He could feel himself trembling as he heard Kyoya tell Hikaru (my brother, fuck it's my brother) about the 'individual Tamaki and Haruhi found and brought home' because it seemed 'Tamaki is always complaining about wanting a pet and he's substituting a human for those purposes.'
It was the levity in the resulting laughter that finally got Kaoru to turn around, breath still caught in his throat but chest heaving as he made himself finally lay eyes on the brother he had searched so long for. Oddly enough, time didn't stop as the two made eye contact like it would have it this really had been a fairy tale like Kaoru was beginning to convince himself it was. The second Hikaru's eyes met Kaoru's, the laughter was still going on around them. Kaoru's eyes widened as he took in Hikaru (holy crap his brother, what the hell) and suddenly understood why everyone was getting the two confused. It was like looking in a mirror.
The laughter did stop when Hikaru let out a quite audible gasp, his arm automatically coming up and stopping half way in the air. "K-Kaoru," the red-head choked and the boy in question wasn't quite surprised to see tears coming to the other's eyes as he felt his own falling freely. The two brothers seemed to be stuck in a stalemate as they stared at each other, both fearful to make the first move only to find the other wasn't actually real. Hikaru's fingers twitched but didn't fall from their stretched position in the air.
"You two know ea-" the rest of Kyoya's question was cut off as Hikaru finally threw himself forward with a wordless cry falling from his lips. The second he reached Kaoru he enveloped the teen in his arms, holding so tight Kaoru thought he might break in half. He didn't think he'd mind, however, as he ducked his head and buried his tear-stained face into his brother's chest, arms coming up to clutch at Hikaru's back with the same tight grip. Raising his head slightly from its perch on Kaoru's shoulder just enough to see the three other teens who stood shell-shocked behind him, Hikaru smiled a watery grin.
"Guys, this is Kaoru... my twin brother."