Not What It Seems
~Part I~
They were quite a colorful group in the colorless room: a blond, two red-heads, one purple head, and a blue-head. The latter of the five laid bruised and pattered in bed, his blue-black hair a sharp contrast to the stark white sheets and his own pale skin.
The more delicate of the two red-heads suddenly shuddered in fear, the image of his injured friend bringing up a rush of unpleasant memories. He shut he eyes to block the image before him, to attempt to block the resurgence of the past.
"Shin-chan, daijobu?" Kyo asked quietly.
Die, catching the barely audible whisper, snapped out of his reverie and also cast his attention to Shinya.
Kyo frowned at Shinya's lack of response. "Shinya?" he repeated again, placing a hand on the drummer's shoulder.
Shinya's body tensed reflexively at that contact, but managed to resist the urge to flinch away from his friend's touch. "What is it, Kyo?" Shinya finally responded.
Kyo pouted cutely, "Are you okay?"
Shinya forced a smile for Kyo's sake, "Of course..."
"Quiet!" Kaoru suddenly hissed. "Are you trying to wake the dead?!" he demanded through clenched teeth.
Shinya and Kyo mumbled a quick apology but quickly shut up when even that earn a glare from Kaoru.
Die has had enough of Kaoru's overreaction. Sure, he was worried about the bassist, but weren't they all? He doesn't have the right to vent his frustrations on any of them, especially Shinya!........ especially Shinya? How'd that thought enter his mind? Die shook his head a little to clear his mind, then moved from his place by the door to a spot beside Kaoru, who was seated in the only chair by the bed.
"Kaoru," Die said quietly, placing a hand on the purple-head's shoulder. Kaoru whipped his head around to face Die, giving the red-haired guitarist one of his now-infamous glares. Die managed to ignore it. "Kaoru," he repeated again. "You need to clam down."
"And all of you need to shut up!" Kaoru's growl came out as a hiss in an attempt to stay quiet -- well, as quiet as possible-- while flinging Die's hand away from his shoulder.
Shinya and Kyo looked nervously from one guitarist to the other from their seat on the couch facing Kaoru. Kyo was secretly grateful that the bed Toshiya was currently sleeping in formed a sort of barried between the purple-haired guitarist and himself. Quite frankly, he thinks Kaoru is scarier than himself, especially when he's ~ahem~ "upset." But of course, Kyo would never admit that to anyone. Kyo's attention was immediately brought back to the scene before him when Die spoke again.
"Kaoru, you're overreacting! None of us spoke above a whisper!" Die was losing his patience.
Kaoru's eyes flashed in rage. Kyo felt Shinya's hand grip his in fear. 'Kaoru's gonna hit Die,' Kyo mused inwardly.
Die's jaw tightened visibly when he noticed Kaoru's clenched fists.
"Maybe you should go home, Kaoru."
Kaoru's anger increased tenfold, if that was possible. "You have no right to tell me to leave, *Die*!" Kaoru spat out.
"Kaoru, you--"
"You have NO RIGHT," Kaoru interjected, "to tell me to leave my koi's side when he's hurt!" Tears distorted his vision.
Shinya's eyes widened, 'Koi?... Toshiya is Kaoru's...koi?' Kyo's mumbled "I knew it!" made Shinya stare at him in surprise. Kyo flashed Shinya a sheepish smile and mouthed the words "Explain later.
Shinya could only nod.
"You and Toshiya?!" Die asked, incredulous.
"Hai..." Kaoru sighed, his wall of anger seemed to be cracking now.
"How long... were you guys..."
"We've been together for the past 4 months," Kaoru explained, his voice cracking.
"Kaoru, I'm sorry, if I had known I'd --"
"It's okay," Kaoru cut in again. "You're right, I shouldn't have taken my frustrations out on you guys."
"Kao --" Die began, but was interrupted again, this time by a groan.
"Toshiya!" Kaoru exclaimed, leaning forward to brush strands of blue-black hair away from his lover's bruised face.
Shinya and Kyo was immediately by Toshiya's bedside as well.
"Totchi-chan, wake up, ne?" Kyo called softly. "The apaato is a mess without you."
"Koibito, open your eyes for me, onegai?"
Shinya glanced quickly at Kaoru, 'How could I have not noticed?'
"Totchi-chan, wake up. You owe it to me for not telling me about you and Kaoru," Die teased.
"I don't owe you anything, Die-kun," came the raspy voice.
"Toshiya!" The frown on Kaoru's face lightened a bit as he hugged the now-conscious bassist.
Shinya heaved a sigh of relief.
"Ne, Kao-chan... can't..breathe..."
"Gomen ne!" Kaoru said and quickly untangled himself from Toshiya, wiping at the remaining tears.
"Kao-chan! You'll ruin your image crying like
this!" Toshiya pouted. That comment earned soft laughter from everyone in the room.
* * *
The room had settled back into silence. Everyone was happy that Toshiya's awake, that's a given. But what everyone was dying to know is 'What happened??'
Toshiya's eyes were closed, enjoying the feel of his lover's hand stroking his face while his other hand firmly held one of his own.
"Toshiya..." Kaoru started to say.
"Hai?"
Kaoru stopped caressing Toshiya's face, "What happened?"
All eyes centered on the couple when the question was voiced.
Toshiya's eyes flew open, wide and frightened. Kaoru felt the tension and fear emanating from the blue-haired bassist. Kaoru tightened his hold on the bassist's hand. "Don't be afraid, Totchi," Kaoru urged softly.
"No. You'll hate me."
"Totchi!" Kaoru released Toshiya's hand, but leaned forward to capture the bassist in a tight embrace. "Don't say that! How could you think--"
Toshiya burt into tears. "Gomen, gomen," he sobbed. "But I was so scared!"
Kaoru felt his heart wrench in pain at the sight of his lover's tears, but he had to know! He had to know why his love collapsed -- bloody and bruised-- at his doorstep! He had to know how he failed to protect the man he loved more than anything else in his life! He hugged the bassist's shaking form even closer to his body, trying to clam the blue-haired bishounen. "Shhhh... Totchi, shhhh..."
"I was --" Toshiya started, but was cut off by a sob.
"Totchi?" Kaoru asked quietly.
"I was... attacked..." Toshiya finally breathed out, tears running freely down his face.
Kaoru's eyes hardened at that, 'How dare anyone hurt his Toshiya?!'
Die and Kyo shared an uncomfortable look.
Shinya stiffened, Toshiya's revelation confirmed his suspicions. 'So I was right...'
to be continued...
~End of Part I~
::bows again:: Min'na-san! How did you like this so far? I hope I'm keeping you interested. This is my first Jrock fic, so C&C would be great, and I do mean GREATLY, appreciated!
Domo arigatou! ::bows::
~Gackt no hime
to be continued...
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