"Good afternoon, Hitachiin-san," Megumi said as Kaoru wandered into the classroom. She had elected to eat lunch at her desk so she could help him set up the project they had planned out for the students.
"Seriously?" Kaoru raised an eyebrow at her as he wrestled the giant roll of butcher paper through the door.
"Let's keep it on a professional footing while we're in the classroom, please," Megumi said, but her smile added some warmth to her cool words.
"As long as you promise to abandon any and all professional reservations once we walk out the door."
"Kaoru!" she scolded. "What did I just say?"
"Of course, Hisakawa-san. Whatever you say, ma'am. You're in charge." He propped the paper roll up against the wall and wandered over to Megumi's desk, filching a rice ball. "I kind of like it when you're in charge. Very sexy," he said in a low voice, popping the rice ball into his mouth.
"I swear to god, if I'm blushing when my students come through this door …"
"You'll punish me?" Kaoru asked hopefully, his words slightly muffled by the food still in his mouth.
Megumi tried her hardest to give him a stern look, but dissolved into giggles instead. "You're incorrigible. Come on, I'll help you unroll that paper."
Instead of the music lesson Kaoru had initially wanted, Megumi had insisted that they design a lesson to help spark some ideas for the individual projects Kaoru had asked students to complete by the end of the year. They planned to cover the walls in butcher paper and set out various media around the classroom. The students could pick what they wanted to use, and how they wanted to use it, but each pre-assigned student pair needed to come up with a cohesive piece by the end of the hour. Keeping in mind Kyoya's warning that not all students had an artistic wellspring waiting to be tapped, he and Megumi planned to cover one wall with not only art, both concrete and abstract, but also poetry, song lyrics, blown-up sheet music, and even architectural blueprints. Standing on a small pedestal was a three-dimensional DNA model Kaoru had begged off of Laney
They got to work setting the room up for their lesson. They didn't speak much; like the first day he'd wandered into her classroom, Megumi seemed to know what Kaoru wanted almost before he did, and he was more than happy to let her give him direction in the best way to set everything up. They'd already agreed that Megumi would take the train to school so Kaoru could drive them both back to her place for dinner, and the unspoken promise of the evening ahead hung in the air, thick and heavy between them. Every time their fingers brushed against one another, an electric shock ran through him, and the memory of kissing her in the park, feeling her body beneath him, warm and sweet and pliant, rose to the front of his brain. I am going to be so goddamn lucky if I can make it through this class without making an utter fool of myself, he thought ruefully, sneaking a glance at Megumi out of the corner of his eye. She appeared completely calm and collected, but Kaoru noticed her breathing was just the smallest bit ragged. He moved behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders and rubbing the tension away. "Relax," he instructed gently.
"That is not helping," Megumi griped.
"It doesn't feel good?" Kaoru was surprised. He'd always considered himself something of an expert at shoulder massages.
"It feels amazing. Which is not helping me relax." She twisted away and smiled apologetically at him. "Professional footing, remember?"
"Megumi. Was this a bad idea?"
"No!" she said firmly. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "No. I'm just not used to having to separate my personal life and my professional life." She opened her eyes, and gave him another small smile. "Truthfully, I'm kind of not used to having much of a personal life at all. I just … can you dial it down a little? While I'm trying to figure out how to balance having you here in my classroom right now, and in my … in my apartment later?"
"I'll try, but it's not really anything I'm doing consciously," Kaoru said, wondering about that momentary stutter. What had she been about to say? He grinned disarmingly. "I can't help it that I'm incredibly attractive, you know. It's a gift and a curse."
Once again Megumi dissolved into laughter. "You're a goof, is what you are," she said, turning around and picking up several empty cups. "Go fill these with clean water," she instructed, transferring the cups into his waiting arms. "I'll finish up in here."
Later that evening, as they entered her apartment, Kaoru couldn't stop babbling. He'd had a meeting with Chairman Suoh while Megumi had finished up class. "So he said he wants to see the outcome of our classes together, but unless something drastic happens, he doesn't see any reason why I shouldn't be able to offer a bimonthly seminar next year for interested students."
"That's wonderful, Kaoru!" Megumi looked at him. He seemed lit up from within. Even in just a month, she could see the clear difference in him. The subtle but constant tension he'd carried when they first met was all but gone. Megumi was struck by how happy that made her. She smiled, encouraging him to continue.
"This is all thanks to you, Megumi," Kaoru said, leaning against the kitchen counter as Megumi fished ingredients for dinner out of the fridge. "I would never have had the courage to do this if you hadn't encouraged me."
"I doubt that. You just wouldn't have thought of it."
"Same thing," he shrugged, moving to take her place in front of the refrigerator as she started chopping vegetables.
"It's not the same thing at all, Kaoru," Megumi said with some exasperation. "In fact, it's not even close."
"Whatever. I'm still giving you the credit. Want a beer?" At Megumi's affirmative noise, he expertly opened two bottles on the counter.
"I have an opener, you know."
"Yeah, but this way it didn't have to get dirty," Kaoru explained, taking a quick swig. "God, there is nothing better than a cold beer on a hot day."
"Sometimes I really wonder whether you have two brain cells to rub together," she grumbled, sliding the chopped vegetables from the cutting board into a large bowl. "Hand me those chicken breasts, will you?"
"You sure I can handle such a complex task?" he quipped before opening the fridge back up and retrieving the meat.
"You're only dumb north north-west."
"When the wind is southerly, I know chicken from pork?"
"Something like that." Megumi smiled fondly at him. Despite her complaining, she felt utterly content in the moment.
Without being asked, Kaoru begin to heat up some oil in the large pan while Megumi finished chopping up the chicken. He flashed her a quick smile as he began to raid her cabinets for seasonings, and she suddenly had to take a deep breath, slightly overwhelmed. He is gorgeous, and funny, and compassionate and loyal and just amazing, and he is in my kitchen, helping me cook dinner. He fits into my life like he belongs here. She smiled back, and the two of them spent a long moment, just staring at each other and grinning like two fools, until the oil started to sputter.
"Shit!" Kaoru muttered, turning down the heat. "Mental note: if I'm going to stare at you while imagining all the dirty things I want to do to you, don't try to cook at the same time."
"You said that out loud, you know." Megumi rolled her eyes, trying hard not to focus on the dirty things part of that comment, lest her imagination completely run away with her and she melted into a puddle of extremely needy goo right there on the kitchen floor.
"I have no shame."
"I had noticed that."
"Yeah, but you love it," he said, giving her another one of his devilish grins.
She chuckled. "I do, actually."
"Knew it." He gave a ridiculously adorable fist pump before sliding the chopped chicken into the pan. "I can take care of dinner if you want to just go relax for a while," he said.
"You don't have to do that, Kaoru. I know you've had a long day too."
"I like cooking. It's relaxing. And I particularly like cooking for you. It's nice to feel like I can do something to take care of you a little."
Megumi pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. He pulled her closer, answering with a more demanding kiss. Megumi felt herself becoming weak in the knees, something she had always thought was just an expression until she found herself kissing this incredible man. As she started to press herself into him more firmly, he drew away regretfully. "Sorry, honey, but making out in front of a hot pan full of oil and food? Probably not the best idea we've ever had."
Megumi laughed. "What would you have said 10 years ago if someone had told you that you would be the voice of reason in a situation like this?"
"Who, me? I'm always the voice of reason."
She looked at him, thinking over the past month. "You know, aside from a slight neuroticism here and there, you really are."
Kaoru reached out and pulled her close once more, giving her a swift but passionate kiss before swatting her backside gently. "Go sit down and relax before I ravish you right here on the kitchen floor."
Megumi was just about to open her mouth to tell him she thought that sounded like an excellent idea when her phone rang. She grabbed it out of her bag and looked at the caller i.d.
"Oh god. It's Chiyo."
"Iseda Chiyo?"
"It's Matsuda Chiyo now, but yes, the same girl."
"Don't answer it."
"She's my friend," Megumi said.
"She's kind of a bitch, though, if I remember."
"You know how you don't want to be judged on how you acted in middle school? You might try extending that same courtesy to others." Megumi said as she answered the phone.
"Darling!" Chiyo shrieked, and Megumi held the phone away from her ear, wincing. "How have you been?"
"Fine, Chiyo, and you?"
"Oh, busy as ever. You know how it is. But I hear through the grapevine you've been in some fairly elite social circles lately!"
Megumi pulled a face. "Oh really?" she replied neutrally.
"Natsuko said she saw you having lunch with the Ootoris the other day. She also said the Hitachiin twins were there. You poor girl! I wouldn't have stayed, but you were always so much less sensitive to that kind of thing than I was."
If by less sensitive you mean more inclined to put good manners above my own selfish inclinations, I'm certainly beginning to you think you're right, Megumi thought. Aloud, she said, "They were perfect gentlemen." Well, aside from making out in a public park, but I really don't think Chiyo needs to know about that. In the kitchen, Kaoru was pretending to gag at the thought of being described as a "perfect gentleman."
"Probably just trying to get your guard down," Chiyo sniffed. "They do that, you know. That way it's more fun when they humiliate you later."
"I think Kaoru and Hikaru are significantly less inclined to humiliate people who bother to take the time and effort to actually get to know them, instead of just making blanket assumptions based on one interaction," Megumi retorted.
"Well! Kaoru and Hikaru, is it now? Excuse me, Megumi. I certainly wasn't aware that the feelings of the Hitachiin brothers were so important to you. I'm sure I'm very sorry if I've offended you." Megumi quite couldn't tell if Chiyo was sincere or not. Before she could probe further, Chiyo went on. "But I hear you're becoming very close with Kyoya's wife. I'd love to meet her—I'm sure she could use a good introduction into society."
"I thought you didn't like her because she trapped Ootori-san in a loveless marriage?"
"I'm sure that's not her fault!" Chiyo tinkled.
"She'll be at the Ouran Scholarship Benefit," Megumi said, feeling a headache starting up. "I'd be happy to introduce you then, if you're going."
"Well, of course I am, darling. But I'm rather surprised you're going. It's not exactly your thing, you know."
"Kaoru has asked me to be his date, so I'm sure I'll have a perfectly lovely time."
"Oh really?"
"Yes," Megumi said firmly. "Kaoru has a way of making even the most boring events seem fascinating."
"Oh I'm sure he does. But don't forget to introduce me to Kyoya's wife. I'd love a chance to catch up and find out what my favorite host was up to all those years he exiled himself in America."
Probably dodging people like you, Megumi thought uncharitably, then chastised herself. Chiyo was her friend, after all. "Look, I have a guest, so I'll need to hang up now. But I'll see you at the benefit."
"You darling girl! Kisses!" And Chiyo rang off.
Megumi shook her head, looking bemusedly at the phone.
Kaoru poked his head out of the kitchen. "Look, I don't meant to speak out of turn, but from what I could hear of your side of the conversation? Still kind of a bitch."
"She's been a good friend," she said defensively.
"Really? May I have an example, please?"
Megumi thought. "She was really there for me when I got my heart broken in college." She thought more. "Although now that I think back on that, she certainly didn't refrain from pointing out all the mistakes I'd made in that relationship, and how she would have handled it so much better."
"Honey, she is a nasty piece of work," he said, turning the heat down and coming over to her. "I can't tell you how many women I've met just like her. Their favorite way of building themselves up is tearing someone else down."
She sighed heavily. "You might be right. Honestly, I don't think she even would have bothered to call me if she hadn't thought I could get her an in with Ootori."
"Oh?" Kaoru raised his eyebrows.
"She had a huge crush on him, and I don't think she ever really got over it, to be honest."
He laughed. "Well, that will go nowhere fast. Particularly if she's stupid enough to insinuate to his face that Laney—what was the phrase? Trapped him in a loveless marriage?"
"That's the version of events she's working with." Megumi laughed. "I think she also mentioned at one point that Haruhi must have somehow tricked Tamaki into marrying her."
"You know, I can count on one hand the number of times I've seen Tamaki furious, and have fingers left over. But if that woman upsets Haruhi this close to her due date? I think we're all going to see a side of Tamaki most people are very unfamiliar with."
"Tamaki? I didn't think he ever got mad."
"Usually he keeps it pretty well hidden. But his tolerance for Haruhi being upset has sunk to new lows lately." He chuckled. "Back in the day, he'd just run around like a chicken with its head cut off he thought Haruhi was angry or hurt. But these days? You might want to give your friend a warning—if she upsets either Laney or Haruhi, or hell, Reiko for that matter, Kyoya and Tamaki will pretty much ensure she is persona non grata for the foreseeable future. And she can bet on the rest of us falling lockstep in line behind them."
"If Chiyo is that rude, she might deserve what she has coming," Megumi decided.
After dinner, Megumi cleaned up the dishes. She'd had to argue with Kaoru for the privilege; he'd been somewhat insistent that she let him handle everything, but Megumi wanted to pull her own weight. A phone call from Hikaru settled the matter. Kaoru settled on the couch to talk to his twin while Megumi cleared the table.
After she'd finished, she joined Kaoru on the couch. He looked somewhat upset. "You're sure you're going to be okay, Hikaru?" he was saying. Megumi moved around behind him and started rubbing his shoulders, feeling him start to relax. "Well, if you're sure. No, I'm with Megumi." He rolled his eyes. "Good night, Hikaru."
"Everything okay?"
"Yeah. Hikaru just got into another fight with Jen. But he's going over to Mori's. He'll be fine."
"You're sure you want to stay here?" Megumi asked. "I'd understand if you needed to go. I don't want to get in between you two."
"Honey, if I dropped what I was doing every time my brother and his girlfriend got into a fight, I'd never get anything accomplished. And he told me in no uncertain terms that he'd kick my ass if I left you to go comfort his sorry self." Kaoru sighed and sank deeper into the couch. "Come on, sit with me. Don't leave me lonely."
She moved back onto the couch and sat next to Kaoru. He put an arm around her shoulder and pulled her in tight, sniffing her hair. "You smell amazing, you know that?"
Megumi pushed him away gently. "Enough empty compliments. Talk to me, Kaoru."
He sighed, dragging both hands over his face. "It sucks. I know, he's an adult, and I'm an adult, and we're separate people, blah blah blah, can't fix his problems. I know I can't fix his problems. I'm not even trying to do that anymore, I swear. But it doesn't make it suck any less, seeing my twin in pain."
"I don't think it's supposed to not suck," Megumi said slowly, thinking it through. "He's your brother. You love him. I don't think you would be who you are if seeing the people you love in pain didn't affect you so much. It's not wrong that you hurt when your twin is hurting, Kaoru. I don't think that's something that needs to be fixed."
Kaoru took her face between his hands. "Megumi, when I say you're amazing, I mean it. You're just …" he shook his head, unable to find the words. He settled for kissing her instead. Like their first kiss, he was slow but demanding, tasting every corner of her mouth. She tangled her fingers in his hair, pulling him closer.
Kaoru moaned, low and urgent, as he tipped her backwards on the couch. He continued kissing her, keeping his agonizingly slow pace as his hands wandered the length of her body, finally hitching her leg up around his hip. Megumi broke the kiss, desperate for air, but his lips didn't leave her, tracing down her throat and back up, until he found the sensitive spot just below her ear. She whimpered, hands going to the buttons of his shirt, then abandoning it in favor of undoing his belt.
"Oh fuck, Megumi, fuck," he breathed, voice ragged with desire.
"That's kind of the idea," she whispered back, pleased and excited that she could bring him to such a state.
"Oh, god, honey," he groaned, pushing himself up and off her. Megumi looked at him, thoroughly confused. "I'm just … I want you. It's not that I don't want you, because good god, I want you really, really badly.
"But?"
"If this was a fling, it would be easier. But what I feel for you? It's real, and to be absolutely honest, I'm kind of freaking out a bit." He laughed. "I sound like a girl."
Megumi rolled her eyes. "You sound like a human being, Kaoru. One who has maybe had a little bit of emotional trauma at some point in his life. That's not necessarily limited to the female gender, you know."
"I don't know about trauma, but we've always had trouble letting people in all the way." He stopped, taking a minute to collect his thoughts. "I've had girlfriends, I've slept with them, I've loved them, it's not like any of this is new to me. But … I don't know. It feels new." He paused. "Does that make even the slightest bit of sense to you? Because it makes absolutely none to me."
"Laney said she thought you were going through a quarter-life crisis."
"Fucking know-it-all Laney," he said, but his voice lacked any real reprobation.
"Kaoru." She reached out and picked up both his hands, holding them in hers. "We're not on a schedule here. You can take your time figuring out what you want."
"I know what I want," he said seriously. "I'm just trying to figure out a way to get there that doesn't involve things imploding down the line. I'm trying to avoid making the same mistake I always do."
"What mistake is that?"
His hands tightened on hers. "We don't let people in," he repeated. "I want—I think I need to establish some kind of real emotional intimacy before getting lost in the physical side."
"You are not your brother," Megumi said gently. "I am not Jen. If this … if we do this, for real, we are going to make mistakes. But they will be our mistakes. Don't borrow trouble."
Kaoru nodded, then leaned forward, kissing her softly. "I'm sorry. You deserve someone who is infinitely less screwed up."
"Oh Kaoru. We are all screwed up. That is the human condition, dear one."
"You're not screwed up. You're perfect."
"I'm judgmental as hell. I'm coming to the conclusion that I have particularly lousy taste in friends. I let my dirty laundry pile up until I have absolutely nothing left to wear."
"Yeah, but your ass cannot be beat," Kaoru said, shifting moods again and pulling Megumi on top of him.
"And that makes up for everything?"
"It makes up for a whole hell of a lot," he said against her throat, hands moving down to cup the anatomy under discussion. "And what it doesn't make up for, your breasts more than cover." Megumi's body shook with laughter. "I'm being serious here! Your tits are fucking fantastic."
Megumi sat up, smiling down at him. "You know, no one has ever made me laugh the way you do," she told him. "Ever. Take the time you need to figure this out, Kaoru, because I've got this sneaking suspicion that you are well worth the wait."
He flipped her suddenly, eyes hungry again. "Just because I'm not ready for everything doesn't mean I don't want to do anything," he said in a low, urgent voice, hands slipping under her shirt. "Wanna play?"
"Yes, please," Megumi breathed, tipping her head back and closing her eyes.
Author's Note: Thanks so much to No-Time Lord (I missed you!), Chalice13, MS. QUEEN21, Izzyboopers, AlisonWest, and mutemuia for the reviews, and thanks to Down2earth360 and Hikari no Hoshi for the favorites. You guys, as always, rock! So, a slightly longer chapter than usual. But I couldn't figure out where to break it, so here you go. Summer is almost over, which is making me all kinds of sad. Updates will be continue to be spotty while the Small Dude and I spend our days at the pool.