Find out what makes the other sad

So.

Kaoru had gotten over his worry about things changing.

Hikaru was maturing somewhat and was becoming bolder with Haruhi.

And Haruhi, Kaoru felt, was becoming more attached to his twin.

So.

Everything seemed to be going well.

Until however, Hikaru stormed into their room, announced that Haruhi was an absolute idiot and finally locked himself up in their bathroom for two whole hours, having a very violent sounding bath (taking his anger out on the water no doubt).

Kaoru was left sitting stunned on their bed.

He left him to his own devices for ten seconds… and he messed everything up?!

"Hikaru! You've been in there for ages!" Kaoru yelled, sitting stubbornly on the other side of the door. "Tell me what happened! And come out!"

"No!"

"No you're not going to come out, or no you're not going to tell me what happened?"

"Nothing happened!"

"Then why have you been locked in there for two freaking hours?!"

"I'll stay in here for another two freaking hours!"

Kaoru sighed irritably and glared at the white wood of the door. His brother could be so difficult. Especially when he was having a full-blown strop. Something bad must have happened, as he hadn't had one of those in ages… Well. A good while anyway. So much for Hikaru maturing.

A sudden thought occurred to him and Kaoru frowned.

"Hikaru, what did Haruhi say?" he ventured, sounding almost nervous.

"Who says it has anything to do with her?"

Her, eh? Not Haruhi, but her. Kaoru sighed again.

"1. You called her an absolute idiot when you walked in, and 2. Who else would it be about?"

For a second, there was silence apart from the soft movement of water. Kaoru settled, knowing when to push it and when to let him gather his thoughts into an understandable sentence, and listened to him make ripples in the bath (which was more like a small swimming pool) that sloshed thoughtfully against the sides.

"Haruhi saw the list…" Hikaru finally mumbled, making Kaoru blink in surprise and confusion; he still couldn't understand his big brother's sulk. He always thought that if Haruhi ever saw the list, it would drive Hikaru to confess, not push them apart.

"I don't get it, Hikaru." He said truthfully.

"She… thought we were playing around with her. Like a game. Like we used to. She got all annoyed and cold and stupid and I got angry at her too because she didn't even understand." He let out in an irritated babble. "I mean, I told her it wasn't like that but she didn't even believe me!"

"Did you confess?" Kaoru asked bluntly.

"Wha- … uh, no." Hikaru winced as he heard Kaoru's dramatic sigh from the other side of the door. "But I kind of… may have… mentioned Tono…"

"Hikaru!"

"I didn't mean to! I was annoyed!" Hikaru squawked in protest, sounding rather desperate.

At this point, a resigned Kaoru had his head in his hands, wondering how big a pit Hikaru had dug for himself. "What did you say?"

"…That… she wouldn't be angry if it was Tono with the list 'cause she… drools over him all the time."

"Drools over him?!"

"Well she does!" He cried in defence, with another vicious splash of water. "She's always staring at him and saying how great he is-"

"No. She. Fucking. Doesn't." Kaoru growled, finally at the end of his patience; the pure fact that Kaoru had swore (and if anyone ever swore, it was usually Hikaru, not Kaoru), was enough to make his twin look up in surprise and pay attention.

Kaoru couldn't help it. He knew that Hikaru was possessive and jealous; they were irremovable parts of who he was, probably born from the tiny and isolated world they had grown up in and no-one could change that fact. Those same qualities made him loyal and dedicated.

But he couldn't let an unprovoked and stupid act of jealousy make a bad situation worse. He couldn't act so possessive whenever he lost his temper. That side of his love was too hard for anyone else to understand. He was going to ruin everything if he lived his life acting as childish as this and Kaoru couldn't let his twin kill himself like that.

As much as Kaoru didn't want to admit it, Hikaru needed to grow the hell up.

And if he needed a push to help himself, so be it.

"Hikaru, Haruhi doesn't drool over Tono." Kaoru said firmly. "She's really good friends with him. They talk and joke and fight with each other like normal friends do. She's not going to not be friends with any other guy. Hikaru, I'm sorry, but you've got to get over it and stop flinging your emotions around like a little kid! Haruhi was wrong but she didn't understand! You could have fixed it, but you acted like a spoilt brat."

He paused, letting his words sink in before adding shortly; "And you still are."

There a stunned silence. Even the water was quiet.

Finally, he made out a shocked mutter of 'Kaoru…' coming from the bathroom.

"What, Hikaru?" Kaoru snapped back, knowing that acting angry was the only way Hikaru would really listen to what he was saying.

"That… was really harsh…"

Kaoru rolled his eyes. "Do you get what I'm saying?"

"…Tha-"

"Hikaru! Do you understand?"

"…Well, yes…" For once, Hikaru didn't shout back; he still sounded stunned and rather sheepish, like a child being scolded for the first time.

"Good." The youngest twin silently let out the tense puff of air he had been holding and collapsed back against the door in a slump. "So, pull yourself together and get out of the bath. Now."

"…Okay…"

Kaoru paused and strained his ears but still didn't hear any movement from the bathroom, save for the faint hush of Hikaru's slow breathing. He was about to shout at him again (he couldn't remember the last time he had shouted this much, never mind at his twin) when Hikaru finally spoke up.

"I'm sorry, Kaoru."

He sighed. "Shouldn't you say that to Haruhi?"

"Yeah… It's just…" Hikaru floundered for a second for the right words. "I didn't mean to shout at her. I felt really bad after she left. I just…" He paused again, sounding weirdly nervous. Then Kaoru heard him take a deep, slow breath.

"I really like her, Kaoru." He whispered almost fearfully, though Kaoru obviously already knew this. "I really do. I'm scared I'm gonna screw it up... you know, even more than I already have..."

For a second, the youngest twin didn't respond.

So Hikaru wasn't just in a jealous sulk. Huh. Kaoru frowned. Okay, he's still being childish but…

But Kaoru didn't feel like shouting anymore; he didn't have any more life lessons in him. He just wanted to wrap his arms around his brother and stop him hurting.

"…Hikaru, when I hear you pull the plug on your bath…" Kaoru paused almost threateningly. "...I'll go downstairs and get us a hot chocolate. Belgian. With cream. And then we'll talk about what to do about Haruhi, okay?"

"Okay…"

"Don't worry Hikaru." Kaoru went on, unable to stop trying to make him feel better. "I'll help you fix it."

Hikaru stuck out his lip and sulkily spoke the words Kaoru left hanging in the air; "...even though I'm an idiot?"

"Even though you're an idiot." Kaoru confirmed cheerily.

There was another pause. "I'm a pretty crap big brother, huh? Shouldn't I be the one looking after you?"

Kaoru snorted, happy Hikaru seemed to have lightened up a bit. "I'll put it on your tab."

"Love you, Kao."

"Love you too, Hika."

"…"

"…You must be really wrinkly by now."

"Wrinkly? I look like a freaking prune."

And then Kaoru finally heard Hikaru pull the plug and the water begin to drain away.

Ah... hot chocolate solves everything. :3 Especially with cream. Yum. ;D Anyhoo, I'm sorry this chapter doesn't have much in it... but I felt it needed to be there. Because we can't let Hikaru go all sulky when he should be trying to make it up to her :D Kaoru on the rampage is scary, ne? O.o

And... omigod! I have over a hundred reviews for this story! That's so amazing! It really doesn't deserve it. Everyone who reviewed or just read my story is officially amazing :D I love you all! xD You all get a complementary Hitachiin plushie ;3

Thankyou again! :)