July 4/Reunited and it feels so good/PG-13/Closed

[karina]

Character(s): Daisuke Kudo and Kouhaku Kono
Time: Directly after school.
Location: Choreography Room

Daisuke sighed as he walked through the emptying hallways. He towered over most of the students and found himself hunching all the time to compensate with his extreme height. It wasn't that Dai minded being as tall as he was, because honestly.. he didn't care. He just wished it wasn't such a big deal to everyone else. So what? He was really tall... that was just Daisuke.

"I can't see you, this giant is in the way." He heard a girl hush into her cellphone, trying to maneuver her head around him.

"Oh sorry." he whispered taking a step aside from the full hallway, and pressing himself up against the wall. The girl looked mortified that he had heard her, but before she could say sorry he smiled and waved her off, "Don't worry about it. I know that I'm tall. Go see your friend. I think that's her." He pointed a long finger in the direction of a hopping girl waving her arms around her head like an idiot.

The girl smiled apologetically and thanked him before she ran off to her friend.

Sighing once again, Dai continued walking, taking the long way to get to the dorms. Usually this would only take about 5 minutes but Dai was taking his time today exploring the halls. A flash of black caught his attention when he passed the choreography room and he took a step back to look inside the window on the doors. There was something really familiar about that hair.

Pressing his forehead onto the window on the door, he squinted, trying to make out who the familiar girl was... or if it was a girl at all. As he racked his brain for an answer, he leaned too hardly against the door and it squeaked open, causing him to come tumbling into the room.

(ooc: omg my title, i hate myselffff.)

[azusa]

Standing up from retying his laces, Kou took a short pause and used the time to give himself a once over in the mirror that stretched all over to either end of the wall in front of him. His clothes were normal for a guy like him, long-sleeved over short and comfortable pants to move around in and then his hair which he rather liked --it was the way people saw him in it that bothered him and what's more, he frowned, there was his frame that was still smaller than what could possibly considered properly masculine. Rolling his eyes at himself he reached down again for the remote to the sound system and just decided to press play and get this self-practice session over with before somebody caught him in there.

The first beats of a Korean pop song came up and he felt his arms and legs move in sync with the way the music carried his movements. It was one of the few dances he had managed to memorize with ease given the many pauses and breaks inbetween, so there was more than enough time for his thoughts to catch up. He had a thing for dancing this in particular when he was frustrated, it made him feel a lot better about himself and his ability.

The music reached chorus, forty-five seconds into the song it was time to make small turn and he felt the air cut through the exposed skin of his face. His eyes caught sight of a bright shade of familiar purple but he paid no mind to it until he heard a sound that didn't come from the music player.

Kou turned around, heart racing, gut twisting as if he was being called into question for doing something bad but there was nothing. Except for that bright shade of familiar purple on the floor.

"Ah--"

He scrambled to find the sound system's remote and fumbled with the keys, just trying to turn it off.

Moving to crouch down to offer him a hand, Kou's gut did the twist again but less out of nervousness but because of the 'I-think-I-know-you' vibes he was getting.

Kou held his slightly sleeve-covered hand out, eyes narrowing a little and before he could even get a good look at him it clicked in his head who it was.

"Daisuke!" He exclaimed aloud, genuinely surprised. "You're...no way--you're here!"

[ ooc// song/dance reference XD is the first one if only you're interested, it's pretty much irrelevant though --and the title is fine <3 ]

[/blockquote]

[karina]

Dai rolled his eyes inwardly at himself as he literally tumbled into the room in a heap of limbs and purple hair. 'I definitely messed up my clip.' He groaned in his head as he came to a stop, face up toward the ceiling. Great, first he starts creepily spying on some stranger, and then he falls into the room letting that stranger know that he was creepily spying on him. Daisuke pushed himself up into a sitting position and placed his palm to his forehead shamefully.

He listened as the person fumbled around to turn off the music and looked up as he... or she... Dai couldn't quite tell yet, came toward him extending a smaller hand. Dai blinked looking at the person he could now see was a boy and just knew that he had seen his person before.

A memory flew into his mind as the boy exclaimed his name, it wasn't actually a memory... it was a sentence that caused Daisuke's stomach to turn. "No you don't get it Kou... I'm...I'm gay."

Kou.

Kouhaku Kono.

The first person... well... the only person that he's ever actually told he was gay. A wave of mixed emotions slapped Dai in the gut, as he took the other boy's hand. Excitement, relief, confusion and horror left him a bit shell shocked. "O-Oh my gosh! Kou! Is it really you?" He asked pulling himself up and patting the smaller boy to see if he was just imagining it. "You know I wanted to be a singer!" He exclaimed, strands of purple falling free of his clip and into his eyes, "B-But... I didn't know you danced!" The words kept gushing out of Dai's mouth in a fast almost incomprehensible slur.

[azusa]

"O-Oh my gosh! Kou! Is it really you?"

"No." He muttered sarcastically, with a small smile and light chuckle.

"I'm kidding!" He beamed, "it is..." and then he remembered in what room they were in. "Me, unfortunately. And yeah, I dance. It's how I got in in the first place." His smile wavered a bit to the level of how he felt about the manner by which he got in and what he had to do stay in. It was no surprise how Dai could've been admitted to the school though and even if it was a bit early to tell, he felt comforted by the fact that he would have a friend around.

The funny thing about this meeting was how different things were by now but still, in some way, Kou felt that whatever weird memories they shared or whatever had transpired back then at the school they both went to was probably going to come out sooner or later.

Or just...sooner.

"Dai are you still...er...you know. A-and do people actually know now?" Kou was just being cautious by not outright saying it. For fear of anybody passing by and the answer to Dai's question being no. What he wasn't sure of was why he chose now to ask about it when he had a few more school years with him to wait and actually see to asking about it.

When Kou realized he had to crane his neck upwards a little to see his friend's face properly, Kou felt himself pout a little as he did so,

"you got taller again, didn't you?" He said, sounding somewhat accusatory. It wasn't fair that Daisuke looked like he had more than one growth spurt and that his own could've possibly missed him when he had the chance. Or maybe he didn't drink enough milk. Either way, all the changes in between the last time they saw each and now were pretty clear and maybe that's why Kou wanted to know. Just so he wouldn't feel like the only one who didn't change much.

[ ooc// crap reply is crap because I am sick ;n; ]

[karina]

"Me, unfortunately. And yeah, I dance. It's how I got in in the first place."

Dai was confused at that comment, tilting his head to the side as he spoke exactly was on his mind, "Unfortunately?" From what Dai could see Kou liked dancing, loved even.. and he was good at it. Maybe he was wrong, which was quite possible, but this troubled Dai. Even though they hadn't talked in a very long time... they had history. Friendship history. Daisuke wants to make that very clear.

"Dai are you still...er...you know. A-and do people actually know now?"

Wide blue orbs stared blankly at the dark haired boy, unable to even blink. The question had thrown him for a spin and had actually made him dizzy. Do people actually know now? The question repeated in his head before literally leaving him breathless. 'Daisuke... calm down. Calm. Down.' Taking a deep breath, he open and closed his clammy hands. "Y-Yes I am, and no.. no one knows." Wiping his hands on his pants nervously he bit his lip. He knew that there were more people who knew about... him, but he hadn't told them... so that's what mattered.

Dai knew that not everyone was his father, and not everyone was going to react the way he did... but he just couldn't push away the anxiety that came with the topic of.. coming out. "And I would really like it if it stays that way." He mumbled, trying to almost sink into the floor.

"you got taller again, didn't you?"

The mood lightened at the mention of his height, and he smiled, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "I don't think I ever stop growing. It's a curse, I'm sure of it." Dai laughed, rocking back on his heels.

[azusa]

His fingers twitched uncomfortably and he gave a strained smile. "I... don't really like performing in front of people so--" he stopped there, twice as embarrassed with his insufficient explanations. On top of that, Kou had taken less than subtle steps to acquire answers to his questions, which he suddenly felt really, really bad about when he saw the levels of discomfort his friend was experiencing just by thinking about it.

"I-it's okay. I'm new here and I don't know a lot of people so it doesn't really matter. Either way, you're always secret safe with me." He beamed. "I get the degree of seriousness of all this so...I won't talk about it unless you bring it up next time, I'm sorry." Kou mustered a sheepish smile but knew that there was little chance it made him seem like a better person even if he tried.

"I don't think I ever stop growing. It's a curse, I'm sure of it.".

Kou stood up straighter in front of him but quickly tried to move away so Daisuke wouldn't notice that he reached only a little past Dai's shoulders. To add insult to injury, he still had to look up somewhat to talk to him properly too. In short, if Kou stood beside him, behind him or in front of him he would still look shorter no matter what.

"Hey! You ought to stop growing or I'll never catch up. I'm not that short but I look like a midget next to you." He felt that smile turn into a pout as he poked his friend in the stomach.

"Not to mention a lot more like a girl too." He muttered under his breath.

[karina]

At the hesitant answer, Dai's mouth twisted to the right and he nodded. If Kou didn't want to go into all the details... he would respect that. Forcing a real answer out of him wasn't going to help, so Dai just left it alone.

"I-it's okay. I'm new here and I don't know a lot of people so it doesn't really matter. Either way, you're always secret safe with me. I get the degree of seriousness of all this so...I won't talk about it unless you bring it up next time, I'm sorry."

Dai shook his head furiously, waving his hands in front of him, "No no! Don't be sorry! You just caught me off guard, sorry for.. over reacting." Dai blushed sheepishly. He really had over reacted hadn't he? Great. First time seeing Kou in a while and he has a mini panic attack. "I don't have a problem admitting I'm gay, and I don't mind talking about it... to you. It's just other people that I worry about. I can trust you." He beamed, placing his hands on his hips.

"Hey! You ought to stop growing or I'll never catch up. I'm not that short but I look like a midget next to you."

This was nice, kind of like old times. Laughing, poking, joking about silly things like their height... of course things had changed but not by much. Clutching his stomach Dai laughed, hunching away from the poke. He was always ticklish.

"Not to mention a lot more like a girl too." Dai heard him mumble under his breath.

"Woah woah! What did you say?" Placing his hands back on his hips, he bent down and looked Kou in the eyes, clearly the question was rhetorical. "I mean.. yeah from a distance you look like a girl for like... a second! But... if anything you look a lot less girly than you used to!" He didn't know if this would work... but Dai was going to try anyway, I mean.. if it helps... You can't look like a chick.. because I think you're pretty cute."[/b] Dai had to break eye contact for that one, and try not to blush. He wasn't trying to hit on Kou, but he figured that it might help, and he wasn't lying. You could think your friends were good looking... doesn't mean anything.

[azusa]

At this Kou felt himself laugh. He warmed up to people well, so it was a wonder why it had taken him this long to get friendly with Dai again. The friendship between them before would've been a legitimate excuse to have them talk --but then Kou supposed that a lot of his memories of Dai were pretty defining, even though if not all of them had something to do with the fact that his friend was gay and keeping it a secret.

"That makes me happy then." He smiled, genuinely for the first time that day. He found his friend's laugh to be oddly comforting too but it was something he felt more than he could think about properly.

"I mean.. if it helps... You can't look like a chick.. because I think you're pretty cute."

Kou's bottom-lip stuck out in concentration, trying to make sense of things while trying to ignore the slight tinge of pink on his already red-from-exercising cheeks. But despite fully grasping what the statement had meant it in its entirety he still wasn't sure of how to act to that. Even if Dai was just trying to make him feel better.

"I ...I...guess it wouldn't make much sense if a gay guy thought somebody who looked like a girl was cute so...I'll take that as a compliment then...although for the record," he fell back on the floor, wholly supporting his own weight to control his fall as he laid down, "I accidentally auditioned with a girl group dance. I've...also been in a dress." He shuddered at the memory of his sister using him as a mannequin once.

"and for a not-so unrelated record, I think you're cute too and you'll find a nice boy one day who'll think the same! E-except you know, in the er...more than friendship kind of way?"

He wished for a nice couch in the practice rooms but there were only tables and huge blocks that could've been both stands and chairs but he knew from experience that those were uncomfortable so he contented himself with the floor and attempted tugging at Dai's shirt (but only got to his pant-leg) to signal him to do the same.

[karina]

"I ...I...guess it wouldn't make much sense if a gay guy thought somebody who looked like a girl was cute so...I'll take that as a compliment then..."

The blush deepened on the tall teenager's cheeks. God damnit, could he be any more awkward and embarrassing? "Yeah that's what I meant by it."

"...although for the record, I accidentally auditioned with a girl group dance. I've...also been in a dress."

Dai couldn't hold back his laughter. "Seriously?! Oh my goodness, Kou, that's priceless." The thought of Kou dancing with a whole set of girls was just... amusing, but... he could picture it. Not that he would tell Kou, he seemed insecure about it and Dai didn't want to take advantage of that.

"and for a not-so unrelated record, I think you're cute too and you'll find a nice boy one day who'll think the same! E-except you know, in the er...more than friendship kind of way?"

This time the laugh bubbled out of Dai uncontrollably. I might have been the stutter, or maybe that Kou was trying to compliment him, or maybe it was the relief that rushed over him... but Dai just had to let out that laugh. Letting his legs give out underneath him Dai sprawled across the floor tummy up. " I know what you mean, thanks. But when it comes to actually getting with guys... I think that's impossible for me. I'm hopelessly awkward, and I couldn't flirt to save my life." Dai confessed matter-of-factly. He would never ever speak of himself like this to anyone, but it felt good to finally be able to talk about this to someone.

[azusa]

He took Dai's laugh as a sign that the guy was starting to warm up to him all over again, which was good since he didn't have a lot of people to hang around with. Not that he would consciously try to do so all the time but it helped to know that he wasn't completely alone at the start of the year...although he didn't feel as good when he thought about what Dai was laughing about. Even though from several different perspectives it did seem funny.

"It wasn't so bad honestly." He lowered his head somewhat for the next part, trying to be discreet. "I don't recall you having any other siblings but I have an older sister and she likes to dress me in all sorts of weird things ...they're...breezy but it's...it's okay."

"I know what you mean, thanks. But when it comes to actually getting with guys... I think that's impossible for me. I'm hopelessly awkward, and I couldn't flirt to save my life."

Kou felt the need to give him a hug but he wasn't affectionate enough start something like that so he settled for patting his friend's back a little.

"Nu-uh! I told you I...I'm not even sure about anything yet but I think ...I think you're cute. N-no actually, you're really good looking and you're tall, right? A lot of people like tall guys. And you have a nice face. I know people like kissing nice faces!"

Kou was so pink right now it nearly matched the magenta magenta shirt he wore over his black one but if it was to cheer up a friend, somebody who he went through the trouble of overcoming a fear just so that he knew a very important aspect of himself --of his life-- it made Kou feel good. So that made it easier for him to return the favor.

"But you have...a natural charm?" He tried, not entirely sure about the words suddenly sprouting from his mouth carried into the air to make a sound. "I bet nobody can say no to you!"

[karina]

"I don't recall you having any other siblings but I have an older sister and she likes to dress me in all sorts of weird things ...they're...breezy but it's...it's okay."

Kou having an older sister that dressed him up was actually something that Daisuke was kinda jealous of. He never had any siblings so he missed all that teasing, and.. got all the family responsibility, causing his father's disappointment and...well... yeah he wished he had a sibling. Someone to be the son, or daughter that his father wanted. "Yeah I don't have any siblings. Must be nice though.. to have those fun memories." Dai's smile seemed... far away. His fun memories was cut short by his discovery of his sexuality. Not that he really minded now, that was all over.. he was here and free.

"Nu-uh! I told you I...I'm not even sure about anything yet but I think ...I think you're cute. N-no actually, you're really good looking and you're tall, right? A lot of people like tall guys. And you have a nice face. I know people like kissing nice faces!"

Dai didn't even need a mirror to know that he was turning a bright red. This was the first time that someone has called him ...cute. Awkward? All the time. Tall? It was pretty much synonymous with his name. But cute? Never. And good looking... that was even more far fetched.

"But you have...a natural charm? I bet nobody can say no to you!"

He crossed his arms over his face, and muffled a thank you. Moving his arms to speak clearly he joked, "I don't really ask that many questions that require yes or no answers." Asking boys out or even approaching another boy in a romantic way had never really crossed his mind. But he really took Kou's compliments to heart and smiled.

[azusa]

"Yeah I don't have any siblings. Must be nice though.. to have those fun memories."

Dai's distant smile caught him off-guard and made worry begin the process of prickling through his system.

"I don't mind being like a little brother...or sister type of person then." He shrugged, "honest! We'll make the best kind of memories since we'll both be here together-- and don't you worry yourself over what it is that's bothering you because I don't think now's the time to do so~" Kou had absolutely no idea what he was saying by now but tried his best to take up the role of comforting. He wasn't the best at it and gave the weirdest, most off-handed reasons sometimes but he tried and he was the only one who knew of Dai's predicament --though he didn't feel any sort of pressure with keeping the secret he felt that his friend needed a boost somewhere to get him started off.

Kou sat up and peered over at the taller boy and attempted to pry his arms away from his face.

"Well then you should at least try! ...although I am pretty hyprocrital in a certain aspect but still. It's you." It was then Kou realized how small his hands actually were, especially compared to Dai's, having slight trouble with moving wrists out of the way.

"Your arms are in the way of your eyes and they're very nice eyes too. I'm...not saying you should put yourself out there already but like, maybe with people who you're sure of? I'm sure there are! I mean, there should be more than one person who wouldn't let you down."

[karina]

"honest! We'll make the best kind of memories since we'll both be here together-- and don't you worry yourself over what it is that's bothering you because I don't think now's the time to do so~"

Turning his head to face his friend he smiled warmly. He had forgotten how nice it was to have a friend which he could be completely open with. No secrets whatsoever. A person that he could truly trust and confide in without feeling like he was forcefully pressing his problems on the other boy. "Yeah. The best kind of memories." Dai really wanted to hug Kou and just thank him for trying out with that girl group, because he honestly never realized how lonely he was until Kou showed up right now.

When the smaller boy tugged on his arms he didn't fight them, but it still seemed that Kou was trying. How cute.

"Well then you should at least try! ...although I am pretty hyprocrital in a certain aspect but still. It's you."

A short laugh escaped him, "What's that supposed to mean?" he teased, sticking his tongue out at the smaller boy above him.

"Your arms are in the way of your eyes and they're very nice eyes too. I'm...not saying you should put yourself out there already but like, maybe with people who you're sure of? I'm sure there are! I mean, there should be more than one person who wouldn't let you down."

Dai was now sure of it, Kou was definitely trying to cheer him up, and for some reason that made Dai incredibly happy. He didn't even really need to be cheered up, but because someone was trying to... that someone was thinking of him instead of the other way around... it was a nice change. Without thinking, Dai sat up and threw his arms around Kou's neck, pulling him into a hug. "Yeah, I'll do that. Thanks Kou. I'm really glad you're here."

[azusa]

He beamed when he heard Dai attest to his claims, happy that the other male complied easily to the way he tried removing his arms from his face. He paused in his movements with a thoughtful expression and settled back a little.

"Oh well, I guess it's because I'm afraid too? S-something like that. I know it's not our top priority or anything. But when opportunity strikes I...don't strike back. Or take it, so to speak. Not that opportunity strikes often anyway." He gave a distant chuckle to that and realized belatedly that there were arms wrapped around his neck.

So that's why everything felt heavy.

"I thought it was just the atmosphere." He muttered to himself out loud, feeling a bit stupid for being so out of it. Kou's arms only had access to Dai's torso and he took advantage of that, although the difference in height and body type became a lot more apparent. His hands felt small against his friend's back, he was glad his fingers found each other again (which meant that Dai wasn't that much taller or bigger) --still, his hands would slip from one another.

Kou leaned into the embrace, being the smaller one, unconsciously nuzzling once, "tell me when --and who! It'd be nice, although it'll feel a bit odd once you start getting comfortable with it. AlthoughI'm really happy that you are." He left part of the hug but kept his arms in place and looked his friend in the eye, "I kinda missed looking out for you."

[karina]

"Oh well, I guess it's because I'm afraid too? S-something like that. I know it's not our top priority or anything. But when opportunity strikes I...don't strike back. Or take it, so to speak. Not that opportunity strikes often anyway."

Dai smiled, amused by the way that Kou really had no idea that the question was a friendly rhetoric, and a kind way that Dai could tease him. That was Kou for you, adorably oblivious. Something the two boys had in common.

When the smaller arms snaked around him Dai hugged tighter, enjoying this familiar embrace, which he had missed so much. Of course the last time this had happened, Kou didn't feel so small, but Dai over looked that. This was nice, and comforting. Something he hadn't felt in a while.

"tell me when --and who! It'd be nice, although it'll feel a bit odd once you start getting comfortable with it. AlthoughI'm really happy that you are. I kinda missed looking out for you."

Rolling his blue eyes at Kou's first comment Dai said, "It won't be for a LONG time... but okay, I'll tell you when AND IF it ever happens." Lifting an eyebrow, he ruffled the shorter boy's hair, "It looks more like you're the one that needs some looking after." he teased again.

(ooc: sorry it took so long!)