Ouran High School Host Club Fan Fiction ❯ Curse of the 'Flu ❯ Anger in the Night-time ( Chapter 7 )

CHAPTER VII: “Anger in the Night-time”

 

Kaoru was different this evening. He said he felt ill and would like to sleep straight away. So Hikaru stepped aside and let his twin have access to the en suite bathroom. A moment later, a musical din was heard - the sound of Kaoru having a shower. Hikaru listened. Soft clouds of sound bloomed upwards and outwards through the misty heat, bouncing and breaking gently in the shifting air. The shower had been designed to play acoustics using techniques discovered in India - some exclusive to the Taj Mahal - to distract the twins as they washed and changed. “Extravagant”, commoners would say, but since when did the Hitachiins care for the opinions of commoners…?

Hikaru sighed, remembering the expression on Haruhi's face as he showed her around the house, despite his poor health and earlier fears of infecting her with his germs. If anything more became of their friendship, perhaps this kind of thing would have to stop, he thought, or Haruhi would have to acquire standards that could cope with the immensity of good taste. He ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head. What was he thinking? He was thinking way too far ahead! Haruhi still had no idea how much he liked her and cared about her. He could deal with such notions later...

The door clicked; Hikaru suspended reverie. Kaoru emerged from the bathroom dressed in - what was that?

Pyjamas?

Kaoru averted his face, as if ashamed. The twins were no longer in the habit of sleeping in pyjamas - not since they were kids. He went to his own double-bed and climbed in. He lay down without saying “good-night”.

Silence.

Half an hour.

An hour.

Two hours.

Hikaru pushed aside his duvet. He crossed the room carefully, knowing instinctively where to side-step and step over objects in the darkness. Then he stopped by Kaoru's bedside, thinking. He raised a hand. He placed it on something, probably Kaoru's face, and was about to -

`OW! What the hell, Kaoru!'

`What the hell, yourself! And keep your voice down!'

`You just bit me!'

`While you smothered me in my sleep!'

`I wasn't trying to smother you! It was meant as an affectionate gesture!'

`Well I'll let you know when I want to kill myself and then you can be as affectionate as you want!'

`What the hell's the matter with you? What's up with this weird attitude all of a sudden?'

Silence.

`Kaoru?'

More silence.

`Kaoru, tell me what's wrong…'

`I don't have to tell you everything.'

Hikaru knelt, folding his arms on the mattress and resting his forehead against them. Nothing was said for a while. Then Hikaru mumbled, `Sorry.' A hand touched his hair and flattened it with a stroke - a light, sad stroke. `I'm just worried about you,' he said, `I didn't mean to pressure you or anything.'

Kaoru listened. His brother was back in bed and fast asleep now. He exhaled and stared at white bars stretching across the ceiling. Security lights were always active at night, sensitive to the movement of nocturnal creatures. Once, a freshwater shrimp had triggered perimeter alarms as it travelled down the stream flowing along the outer wall and under the concrete driveway. He counted a total of seven bars. He wondered if there were any freshwater shrimps around today. Then his thoughts slipped onto more important things - that car journey home.

 

 

Here, you may think that something terrible had happened and that the driver, in seeing what he thought to be a young and attractive girl, must have done something untoward to Kaoru. However, not all situations involving strangers and cars end in such a traumatising outcome. Kaoru had barely uttered the directions to his house before somebody came and yanked the door open and dragged him roughly from the passenger seat. This person was none other than Kyouya Ootari, gripping Kaoru tightly by the wrist as he leaned in and instructed the driver to vacate the Suoh premises in less than five seconds. Needless to say, when faced by the wrath that was Kyouya's, the driver fled instantly, leaving behind him two figures arguing in the rain.

Kaoru closed his eyes, feeling echoes of fury throbbing in his chest. His chest ached with the memory of what he and Kyouya had said.

`Don't you think of anybody other than Hikaru and yourself?'

Tears welled under eyelids and tumbled down both cheeks. Kaory wiped them away, angry. He was angry that Kyouya had hurt him. As the rain dashed down, sticking hair to scalps and clothes to bodies, Kyouya had yelled at him, not letting go, still gripping his wrist.

`What do you think this club is for? Is it just to gratify female customers? Haven't you thought of what it means to Tamaki and Haruhi?'

`Why are you bringing them into this? Let go of me right now, Kyouya!'

The vice-president brought Kaoru close.

He whispered something.

Then he let go.

Kaoru buried his face, pressing it to his pillow. His shoulders quivered. His heart ached. He wanted his twin to be happy. For the first time in his life, Hikaru was placing a foot beyond their world to enter that of another. He wanted to understand Haruhi. He wanted to share and merge his world with hers. Unlike Kaoru, he was growing up and moving on and finding someone else to love.

Who was the dependent one now?

`Tamaki is in love with Haruhi - don't let Hikaru get in the way.'

Kaoru opened his eyes. Who was Kyouya to decide how feelings developed? If Haruhi returned Tamaki's love, there was nothing anybody could do about it - even if they wanted to. And if Haruhi fell in love with Hikaru instead: the same thing. Kyouya should know this; he should already know this…

Then again, had Kyouya ever fallen in love?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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