Chapter 9: Arrival

He stands outside in the late afternoon shadows, watching as the streetlights slowly come on one by one. The sky is threatening overhead, with tall dark clouds approaching from the horizon and gusts of wind blowing down the streets. All around the neighborhood people pull in their lawn chairs and take down outside ornaments; no one spares him a glance. He's relieved at the lack of attention. He came here to get away from everything.

Well, almost everything.

His feet take him down old paths, past childhood haunts and places he almost remembers. Little has changed in the two years he's been gone. Some shops have been switched owners, a few apartment buildings have sprung up, but for the most part he knows the way around.

Before he realizes it he's there at the old gates, looking down the streets of the campus. Classes had let out a while ago and the grounds are deserted but for the occasional straggler running to their destination. He finds his familiar stride as he walks down the streets, remembering on impulse the corners he liked to jump over and where puddles would gather when rain fell. After a while the school buildings give way to crammed complexes; three story high dorms. He stops and looks up.

Up on the top floor of the third building is the dorm. A laundry line hangs bare across the balcony. She must have taken her things down so the storm wouldn't soil them. Just moments ago. He breathes in deep. He can feel her here, almost imagine her inside, probably reading or working, perhaps making dinner. It would…

A crash of thunder snaps him out of his trance, his eyes flashing open and taking in the bright arches of light across the sky. He flips his head up, raindrops falling on his lips and then more insistently across his face and shoulders. He gazes around, searching for some kind of shelter, until his eyes rise back to the third floor, falling again after a moment. No. He has a feeling she would not appreciate it if he stumbled into her house dripping wet. It's near sunset after all and he doesn't exactly feel like having a frying pan thrown at him out of supposed self-defense.

He sighs, gnashing his teeth together and suddenly feeling very foolish. What is he doing? Running away and then stalling when he gets to the place he needs to go? There shouldn't be an excuse. He should go up there right now and-

All the same he finds himself walking away, halting every other step to curse himself for being a coward.

"Tomorrow…" he whispers and glances back again out of the corner of his eye. "Just some time…I can do it tomorrow." With a shake of his sopping jacket he pulls the hood over his head and starts down the street again, mind whirling for another destination. Somewhere close, someone that won't trip over themselves trying to talk to him…

Hmm…there is someone else here he could see, isn't there?

The wind picks up as he struggles through the streets turning into a full on gale as he reaches his destined street. Lightning flashes overhead and rain pours down in sheets, almost obstructing the view of the house. Feeling as if he's drowning in midair he stumbles up the front steps and thanks the heavens that the house is so close to campus.

With a test on the handle he pushes the door open – he's glad it's unlocked, as he hadn't thought about what he would do if it's occupant wasn't home – and steps inside, spitting curses and shaking the water from his clothing. Watching the drips of water splatter across the wood floor he sees something move out of the edge of his vision. Glancing up he meets eyes with a petite and rather terrified looking girl. She clings close to the staircase and stares at him with something akin to horror.

"Crap," he exclaims, glancing around his surroundings and hitting himself for not checking the address number. "This is the wrong house, isn't it?" The unfamiliar girl merely gapes at him, taking in his appearance, recognition beginning to register in her eyes. She opens her mouth the tiniest bit when a noise from the staircase interrupts her.

"Gakupo?" He raises his eyes to the top of the stairs and feels a grin spreading across his face. Flinging his drenched hair over one shoulder he strides up to the man at the top and throws his arm around him.

"Kaito, my friend! I have arrived at long last!" Gakupo bellows, finding welcome distraction in his friend's bewildered expression. "Let us celebrate with endless rounds of karaoke and beer!" Kaito grins embarrassedly and passes the flashlight to the girl at the bottom of the stairs. He takes a few steps down, pulling Gakupo with him.

"Thanks for telling me you were coming. Karaoke? Have you seen the weather?" Gakupo smiles insanely. Just being in his presence is taking his mind off things and providing him with the release he'd been looking for. Perhaps there are other things that need to be done, but there's no use worrying over them now while he can't do anything. This is his friend, his best friend, who he hasn't seen in two years.

Gakupo starts towards the door, an extensive plan for a night of losing one's troubles forming in his mind. "Nothing short of death will halt my onward march towards endless songs and bar waitresses in lewd outfits!" With another step Kaito suddenly halts, his head turning to the stairs. The girl is still standing there, surveying the situation with hesitant curiosity.

"I can't leave her by herself." Kaito's voice is quiet as he gently strains against Gakupo's grasp.

"Why not?"

He turns back around, a hint of possessive anger in his eyes, and opens his mouth, about to speak. Suddenly the girl steps forward. "I'll be fine. Don't worry about it." Her voice is high but clear and very soft. Gakupo realizes it is the first time she has spoken. Some kind of understanding sparks between the girl and Kaito as they look at each other, and Gakupo feels the unfamiliar discomfort of being a third wheel.

"Er…Are you guys on a date or something?" The girl flushes red and both of them violently shake their heads, not meeting eyes. Gakupo bites his lip, trying hard not to laugh and shrugs, flinging the door open and pulling his friend out into the rain.

"Have I ever mentioned how much I hate you?" Kaito slaps down a twenty on the counter and takes the key from the attendant, sending a scowl Gakupo's way through dripping bangs. The musician snatches the key from his hand and starts down the hallway, looking for their room, while whistling and twirling a damp strand of hair.

"I make life exciting," Gakupo retaliates and slips the key in their door, entering into a room with a large flat screen TV, microphones, and chairs. "Admit it, you'd die of boredom without me." With a good-natured sigh Kaito pulls a chair forward and takes a seat as Gakupo begins fiddling with the electronics.
"Go order some drinks or something," he says as heavy metal begins blasting through the speakers, causing his friend to cringe.

"Alright, turn that down," Kaito grumbles and steps out of the room, returning in a moment with two cans of soda. Gakupo surveys them dolefully.

"No booze?" Kaito shrugs and pops open a can, plopping down again in his chair. Gakupo follows suit and sips carbonated liquid out of the aluminum with the air of some greatly oppressed underling. Setting the can down on the table with a clang he turns to the microphone just as a song starts. He breathes in and belts out the notes, shaking the furniture with the loud volume. It's a silly song, fast and fluid, and it rolls off his tongue with precision. Kaito watches him the entire time, shaking his head slightly and smiling. He finishes the song with a flourish of ascending notes and turns back around to face his friend, spinning the microphone lazily.

"So," he smirks evilly. "Who's the girl?" Kaito meets his gaze coolly.

"A classmate."

"Why was she at your house?"

Kaito sighs a little, his eyelids drooping as he sinks into thought. After a moment he sticks out his hand and grabs the microphone. "I'm gonna sing a bit." He stands and scrolls aimlessly through the songs, finally coming across one and staring at the title song and hard before selecting it.

A shotgun and a telecaster

Words said for you, how unhappy

All alone in the city streets

You hate the sound of a gunshot, don't you?

His singing is rusty, but lovely in its rawness. He stops the song after only one verse, cutting off the music abruptly. Gakupo tilts his head, trying to figure out what Kaito was trying to prove through that display. The man just hands him back the microphone and shrugs, seeming rather burned out. Gakupo purses his lips. "You never answered the question."

Kaito looks at him sourly. "Why do you want to know?"

"I knew it!" The musician makes a dismayed expression and leaps up, clinging to the wall as if afraid that Kaito is going to jump him. "You had her in your clutches and I just happened in and –" Kaito stops him with a hand over his face.

"Oh just shut up," he says and removes his hand, blushing faintly. With a victorious smile Gakupo sits down next to him.

"You may as well tell me. I squeeze it out of you anyway." He reasons. "Besides, it is my duty as a friend to hear about – and then mess with – all your relationships with females." Kaito sighs again and folds his hands under his chin.

"I'm taking care of her," he says quietly. "Her home…wasn't safe, so I got her out of there." He moves his face downward, half buried in his hands. "She never seemed to bode well alone so I took her in." Gakupo blinks, remembering the strange conversation and interaction that had occurred as he stormed in. He stays silent, waiting for elaboration, but that seems to be all Kaito will say on the subject.

"Well way to go," He congratulates and slaps his friend on the back. "You managed to save the day and still get the girl you love in bed with you."

Kaito chokes on air and spins sideways, his cobalt eyes wide. "W-what?" he stutters. Gakupo assumes he isn't asking about the 'in bed' part of that sentence. He's learned to ignore that sort of thing.

"Oh, please," Gakupo chuckles, satisfied that his suspicions about his friend's feelings were correct and taking a sip of soda. He waves his hand in Kaito's direction. "It's written all over…well everything actually."

The blue haired man sits for a moment in silence, staring absently at the TV screen. "Why'd you come to me?" he asks all of a sudden, not reproachfully or accusingly, just curiously. "I'm sure you didn't come all the way here just to have a karaoke night." Gakupo thinks for a moment.

"Ah, I dunno." He scratches his chin, his mind floating over his real reason for coming back. It hangs in the back of his mind, promising, yet terrifying, and so possibly painful. "Guess I just wanted to get away from everything, you know? Life gets crazy."

Kaito looks away, thoughtful for a moment, and then leans back against the chair and closes his eyes as if praying. "Yes," he whispers. "Yes it does."

A/N: Obviously all of this was in the present. I think everything from now on will be.

I love Gakupo and Kaito's relationship. Gak is such a...free spirit *cough* hyperactive tempest incarnate *cough* and Kai is just so...ordinary. I wish I could write more of it...

I'm getting a little tired of this story, but I have almost all of it written so I guess I'll just push through. Also I know how much people hate it when you leave stuff unfinished.

All the story ideas are up on my profile. Look and vote if you care, otherwise just prepare yourself for some randomly chosen plot bunny that won't stop chewing on me. (my poor toes...)