Disclaimer: Takaya Natsuki is the rightful owner. I'm merely borrowing her creations for my own diabolical ideals. No, really.
A/N: I'm back~
Ah, it feels good to be writing this story again, now that I've gotten lesser projects to deal with. Fruits Basket, here I come! XD And oh god, I hate what fanfiction has done to their site. It's horrible! I wish it were back to the way it were before... T_T Well, I'm gonna have to get used to this. Ugh.
Life's Many Indulgences
Chapter 18: Our First Date
Ever since the slip-up by Mrs. Usuda came about, she felt awkward every time she had to face her son alone. Yet, luckily for her he never brought it up again. Yuki, too, felt the situation was most uncomfortable, and he hadn't the courage to bring up the topic again to his mother. Mr. Usuda, more overly, was oblivious to the mother-son problem.
Today Yuki was sitting at his work desk inside his room, lightly tapping the tip of his mechanical pen on a sheet of note paper. His eyes stayed trained on the moving lead tip, but his mind was clearly elsewhere. His thoughts, like his heart, were filled of Mizunashi Kyo - his newfound boyfriend made him feel all bubbly inside. Sadly though, both parties had to remained tight-lipped about their relationship - it would surely ruin Yuki's reputation as the student council president, and Kyo didn't want people finding out he was a homosexual (probably a bisexual, but what the heck . . .).
When Yuki finally did focus on the note paper, he noticed he had sloppily written the name Kyo on it. The color pink struck his cheeks like lightning, and his only reaction was to crumple up the paper. He held the crumpled wad in the air, as if to throw it in the waste bin, yet at the last moment he stopped himself. A odd thought came about . . .
What if mother looks through my waste bin and finds this?
This thought in itself felt strange. His mother knew he was a homosexual, so finding a piece of paper with another guy's name on it shouldn't be surprising to her. Not in the least. Then another thought occurred . . .
Why would she look through my waste bin? It's not like I'm not trustworthy. Trust has never been an issue within this family. Maybe I am thinking too hard.
So, finally, with lackluster courage, Yuki threw the paper into his waste bin, feeling quite sure his mother wasn't going to dig through it. But it was hard not to let his eyes roam there - how did his mother find out about Kyo and his mother? Was she sought out by the red-head's own mother, and together they talked things through? Was she worried for her son? Something didn't feel right . . . Yuki couldn't shrug if off no matter what.
He wanted to see Kyo . . . Very badly, in fact. He wanted to tell him what he discovered from his mother, but was it a good idea? Wouldn't he freak Kyo out? Then they might end up splitting, for Kyo might think that the best decision . . . Yuki didn't want that, not when their relationship had hardly begun.
"Yuki? Are you going somewhere?" Mrs. Usuda asked, upon seeing her son come downstairs all dressed up. She took several steps towards the winding staircase.
"Uh, yeah." The violet-eyed youth's gaze was not directed at his mother as he responded, but instead was directed at the front door. "I'll make sure to be home in time for dinner."
"Oh. All right. Be careful out there, son."
"I will. Thanks, mom."
The uneasiness quadrupled when he neared her, and it took all his strength to not simply rush out of the house like his life depended on it. However, as if she had some sort of psychic bond with her son, she knew to move away from him because the moment was most stifling. Yuki reached the door within a few step's more strides, and he was out and gone.
Mrs. Usuda sighed a troubled sigh, wondering if she should phone Mrs. Mizunashi to discuss their problem.
XOXOXOXOXOX
Kyo was already waiting for the other teen, and only stood up from the bench when he saw Yuki approaching him. The both of them had agreed to try going out somewhere once, just to see what a actual date would feel like. The red-head, too, was spruced up and what he considered causal clothes was a pair of blue jeans and a reddish-colored t-shirt. Yuki wasn't faring far from him with what he was wearing, but he definitely noticed what his boyfriend was decked out in. He also made note that they looked sort of similar in appearance.
"So, where to?" Kyo asked, eyes roaming around the area.
"I was thinking a movie, but it would seem too much like we're on a date," Yuki replied.
Kyo snorted, saying, "but we are on a date."
". . . I thought you didn't want others to suspect that we are dating." Yuki blushed a light red, surprised by his own words. Since when did he sound so pathetic? "So would it really be all right?"
"Yeah, Yuki."
Yuki blushed even a darker shade of red. "Yu--Yuki?"
"What? Can't a guy call his lover by their first name?"
"Lo-lovers?" This was becoming a little too much. Was he hearing right or was he just dreaming? Yuki could only hope this was all real.
"Ah, hey . . ." Kyo wanted to punch himself. Maybe he had overdone things, and saying such sappy stuff must of overwhelmed his classmate (boyfriend). "I was thinking maybe you wanted to hear those things. If I overdid it, I'm sorry. Although that doesn't mean I don't want to go to the movies with you . . . If you want to change your mind, I won't care."
Yuki smiled (his blush fading), warmth spreading from his head to his toes. "No, let's go catch a movie."
By the time the two boys reached the movie theater, it was already nearing evening. Yuki remembered telling his mother he was going to be back in time for dinner, but it didn't see like a likely prospect if he were to watch a movie. He contemplated on what to do.
Kyo noticed. "You look a little worried - is something on your mind?"
"Ah, no, not really." For some reason Kyo was being really gentle. Yuki didn't dislike it, yet it just didn't feel like the natural Kyo he has come to know. "You know . . . Kyo, you don't need to act like this in front of me. Even if you're deciding to do this only for today, it's all right to be yourself."
Bull's eye. "You can tell?" Yuki nodded. "Hearing you say that makes me relieved! Man, I thought I was going to drop dead from trying so freaking hard! Who knew it'd be so tough to try and act like a typical girl's dream of her ideal boyfriend."
"What do you mean?" Yuki took on a puzzled look.
(.(KYO'S SELF STUDY).)
"Are these okay?" Tooru asked, holding up three books. All of them pertained to women and dating.
"Yeah, they're fine. Thanks."
"Can I ask what you need them for?" Tooru wasn't usually one to pry, but this time she couldn't help but ask out of curiosity. "Because it seems kind of strange to find you're interested in such things. This also reminds me - Arisa once told me she thinks you're keeping a secret lover of sorts."
"Well, she's thought wrong. I don't have a secret lover." A probable lie, but what the heck. "Tell her I said she needs to have that twisted head of hers fixed. Maybe a psychiatrist will do her some good." Tooru sweat dropped and made no reply. "I'll bring these back to you when I'm done with them."
"Oh, if you want, you can give them back to Saki."
"These are . . .?"
"Yeah, they're hers, not mine."
An image of the dark-haired girl standing next to a man seemed very unlikely, and it was stranger still that she had these kind of magazines.
"I don't want to hand these back to her myself, so you can do that once I'm done with these."
"Okay."
Kyo did not want the psychic (psychotic) girl to ask him what he was doing with them. He wouldn't be able to live if off if the Yankee started teasing him about it either.
And so Kyo's quest for knowledge on the (many) ways of dating began.
XOXOXOXOXOX
The credits filled the movie screen, and people all around began to get up to leave. Kyo was about to do the same thing, when Yuki grabbed onto his hand, indicating to him to stay seated - he did not turn to face the red-head at all. He probably didn't want to look conspicuous to the people around them.
After a moment Kyo whispered, "what is it?"
The reply. "Let's just sit here for a bit longer. The credit music sounds nice."
Kyo looked at his watch, taking note that it was already past nine. "It's past nine already . . . Shouldn't you be going home now?"
Yuki remembered clearly telling his mother he was going to home in time for dinner, but it seemed like things didn't turn out that way. Furthermore, he didn't even contact his mother to tell her he was going to be late.
"Are you trying to get rid of me?" Yuki joked.
"What if I said I was?" Even though the red-head said it somewhat jokingly, Yuki could not help but feel a little hurt by the comment. "It wouldn't be a bad idea to ditch you once we get outside."
"Hmmm, I suppose you can do that, can't you now?"
"Hey, I wasn't seriously considering it," Kyo quickly countered. He rose from his seat, taking Yuki along with him. "Come on, let's get out before the next wave of people come in for the following movie. It's going to be a pain trying to get out then."
While they were walking, the gray-haired teen could barely focus on anything else other than his boyfriend's hand. It was firm, clutching at his wrist with gentle ease - people observed the linkage of wrist and hand, but either Kyo didn't notice or he chose to ignore the curious bystanders. The two boys walked out of the theater just as they were.
The air was chilly outside, and it struck their faces with a blast of cold air. Kyo grunted in dismay, letting go of the other teen and looking up at the night sky.
"Dammit, why do we have to live in a place surrounded by water. It never gets too warm around here."
"I've heard Hokkaido is worse," Yuki said. "It snows more there than it does here during the winter months." And then he noticed something . . . "Kyo, your nose is turning red really fast. Are you that cold?"
"Damn straight I am!"
Yuki laughed in response, flashing off his white teeth. "Best to hurry home then."
"I'll walk you home first, so let's go."
"Are you sure?" Yuki asked, touched by Kyo's honest intention. "Wouldn't it be best if we walked our separate ways from here?"
"I'm going to walk you home, got it? Enough said."
And as it turned out, the two boys stepped in place side by side, quite silent at the beginning of their trek. However, after a few minutes, Yuki couldn't hold it in anymore. There was something he wanted to ask the red-head.
"Hey, Kyo, can I ask you something?" he began.
"Yeah?"
"If, for whatever reason, we can't be together anymore, will you be sad about it?" Kyo stopped walking then, staring at the other youth straight in the face. His three second expressions went from surprise, understanding, and then finally to resolve. Yet, when he failed to say anything Yuki felt an anxious sensation pulling at him. "Because I'd be very sad, Kyo. So . . ."
"Look, the odds and ends of this sort of relationship is boundless. We're both high school male students, and (our) coming out is already circulating throughout the school. If, and for whatever reason should we be separated, it is to the adults in our best interests. I can understand their way of thinking, but they can't stop me from being with you."
Hearing Kyo say all this should have been reassuring, or at least calmed Yuki down somewhat, but he was feeling far from calm or even slightly relaxed. His mother's words ate at him, now that he really thought about it.
"Actually, there's something else I'd like to tell you. I don't know anything about it, because my mother wasn't too clear, yet she said something that troubles me as strange as this may sound."
"What did she say?"
"She knew about you even though I've never mentioned your name to her," Yuki said.
"So? She could have found out through someone else."
"Your mother, I'm afraid."
Kyo frowned, asking, "what?" Of all the people Yuki could have mentioned, the person he least expected to hear was his very own mother. "But how?" He hadn't remembered ever telling any of his family members that he was seeing Yuki in "that" way.
"My mother also said something about needing your mother's permission."
The whole situation was quite stifling to Kyo (as it has been for Yuki till now). "I'm going to have to confront her."
"You shouldn't, Kyo."
"Why?"
"At least wait . . . For a little while and see how things progress." This impending issue worried Yuki more than he was willing to show to his bewildered boyfriend. Somehow, he kept thinking the thing his mother was hiding was not anything pleasant. During that time his mother's face gave it all away. "We don't want to involve other people if we can help it. So, please, let's wait."
Kyo opened his mouth, as if he wanted to protest, but then he closed his lips together, shaking his head slightly.
XOXOXOXOXOX
"Ritsu won't tell. Ritsu will be a good person, and keep quiet."
Shigure lightly chuckled, viewing his brother as an overgrown child. His behavior and attitude did not fit the way he looked at all. "That's right, Ritsu, promise me and Kyo you won't tell that munchkin anything."
"I promise. Cross my heart and hope to die if I do."
Both Shigure and Kyo exchanged looks, somehow finding it hard to completely trust in their brother to not say anything at all to the red-head.
"Things are settled then?" Mr. Mizunashi asked, looking to either of his brothers. "We won't say anything until the time is right?"
"Right," the other two chorused.
Chapter 18: END