PsyDai: ShishiTori - First Reunion
Title: First Reunion

Author: Me

Series: Psydai - ShishiTori arc

Rating: PG

Summary: Shishido and Ohtori argue and make up. Then argue. Then make up. Then argue again. And they reach some sort of understanding. Also, karaoke is involved.

Author's notes: This is the first story in this arc to break 3k words. o_O I was going to sit on this longer, but ficfaery was feeling a lack of Hyoutei fic recently so...um, I offer this as some sort of condolence. Uh...can't say I pinned down the lack of angst, but I tried...?

===

Ohtori crouched low in the bushes of one Psychic Daigakuen and briefly wondered at his sanity.

As far as Ohtori was aware, Psychic Daigakuen’s school policy had always been keeping the campus closed to non-school personnel, which he had confirmed when he attempted to enter the gates earlier in the day and was turned away by the guards when they had checked for his school pass, which, being a high school student who was still in Hyoutei, Ohtori did not have. However, since Ohtori had already decided to find Shishido-san come hell or high water, he was not about to be dissuaded by a few guards, a gate, and a two-meter tall wall.

What had solidified his decision had been a combination of lack of communication and an abundance of information from, in hindsight, the worse possible source.

On an evening a few days before Shishido-san’s graduation, they’d celebrated his acceptance into the private university, along with the other sempai-tachi who had also passed the entrance exams. It one of the rare times when Atobe-buchou, who’d insisted on keeping his title until the end of the school year, had been out voted and vetoed on the decision to hold the celebration at his mansion. Instead, they had gone to an understated – at least by Hyoutei's lavish standards – karaoke bar and sang terribly with a kind of light hearted abandon that only students who had not yet stepped into the real world were capable of. Although Ohtori was sure his sempai-tachi were capable of singing at a professional level if they tried, it seemed that on that night, no one had cared, or possibly more reasonably no one had wanted to, sing well at all. Especially Shishido-san who, having gotten drunk on Atobe’s secret stash of brandy earlier at the mansion during their pre-celebration, had insisted on singing some of the most unconventional songs that were simultaneously amusing and embarrassing, his excuse being that karaoke was simply a pun for tone deaf anyway.

When the words “geki-dasa daze” had exploded in the surround sound of the small karaoke room, even Atobe-buchou had lost his usual aristocratic airs and spat a mouth full of TyNant on a nearby Oshitari who had his face buried in his hands and proceeded to choke on what had not been spewed, laughing all the while.

Then, declaring that no celebration is complete without a doubles match, Shishido-san had forced Ohtori to sing with him, a song that Ohtori had never even heard of and lyrics that made Ohtori want to simply sink into the ground as he tried his best to improvise. It was at that moment he was sure that Shishido-san was not just drunk, but had passed into the state of semi-consciousness, as Ohtori didn’t think there was anything else that could make Shishido-san call him “baby” in front of nearly the entire regulars’ team and especially a much too amused looking Atobe-buchou.

That had been the last Ohtori had heard from Shishido-san, as the graduation had been decided by certain sadistic administrative officials to coincide with the ascension exams and Ohtori had not been able to participate.

Sure that Shishido-san would have called as soon as he had a chance, Ohtori had waited expectantly for the familiar ring but nothing ever came. Then the new school year had started and Ohtori, juggling tennis practice, orchestra rehearsals, and the increased schoolwork in preparation for his own entrance and exit exams, had been in a constant state of bone deep weariness such that it was not until two weeks after the sempai-tachi had graduated that Ohtori was forcibly reminded of the fact he had not had one call from Shishido-san since that embarrassing karaoke evening by an unexpected visit from Taki-sempai.

Taki-sempai, who had chose to stay at Hyoutei, appeared at the high school tennis practice with the excuse to check on his kouhai-tachi. Grinning at the annoyed face Hiyoshi made, Taki-sempai had immediately garnered the attention of the tennis club with dramatic stories of university politics, relationships, and horrifying pressure, both social and academic. When some of the braver, or rather more insolent, kouhai had voiced doubts regarding Taki-sempai’s narration, Taki-sempai had looked to Ohtori and said, “Well, Ohtori-kun can confirm this. Didn’t Shishido tell you the same?”

And Ohtori could only stare back in shock as he realized that he did not receive any form of contact from Shishido-san. Taki-sempai had taken the silence as agreement and told the others, “See?”

The next week, the rumor of a university suicide had traveled through the campus. Granted, with a suicide rate of over 30,000 per year, the law of averages dictated at least a few will have come from Hyoutei university, but it was enough to alarm Ohtori. Certain that until he saw Shishido-san with his own eyes he would not be able to rest, Ohtori had promptly skipped the rest of the afternoon and headed toward Psychic Daigakuen, determined not to rest until he found his boyfriend.

The sun had set well before Ohtori had managed to arrive at the Psychic Daigakuen gates, only to be turned away when he could not produce a pass. Moving along the walls, determination unwavering, Ohtori looked for a secluded spot and, under the cover of darkness, used his height advantage and cleared the two-meter tall wall with a running leap. Landing on the other side with a tumble, Ohtori scrambled between the foliage, using the shadow for camouflage and searched for a building that looked dorm-like.

However, before Ohtori could make heads or tails of where he was, he heard the sounds of a conversation heading towards his direction. Without a second thought, Ohtori dove into the nearest bush and laid on his stomach, waiting for the sounds to fade away.

That was how Ohtori found himself under the bushes, questioning his sanity as he watched two pairs of shoes walk by his field of view.

When the shoes disappeared and silence once again reigned, Ohtori debated on his next course of action. He could continue to wander the campus, but without knowing where his Shishido-san’s dormitory room was or even the slightest concept of the campus layout, the task before him seemed near impossible.

Just as Ohtori was about to despair, he heard faintly the sound of a familiar voice complaining, “Geez, Jirou, you left the window open again. What the hell are you trying to do, freeze both of us to death?”

Ohtori nearly leapt out of hiding when he heard Shishido-san’s voice and saw the long-sought face appear, backlit in the frame of the first floor window in front of him. Without a second thought, Ohtori broke through the bushes and nearly flew at the window, exclaiming, “Shishido-san!”

Shishido, who had been on his way to close the window and wasn’t paying attention to the inky darkness outside, nearly fell over in shock as the voice of his kouhai yelled his name then came face-to-face with said kouhai at his dormitory window. He had frozen in place and blinked a few times as the situation finally sank in and let out a loud yelp, leaping back from the window and promptly fell on his ass.

“Ite,” he grunted as he pushed himself back up and went to look out the window, wondering if he had been hallucinating.

A bedraggled Ohtori looked back at him, hope and excitement making his eyes shine in the meager light.

“Shit, what are you doing here, Choutarou?” Shishido cursed as he leaned out to give Ohtori a hand with the clear intent of pulling Ohtori through the open window.

Ohtori gladly accepted the help and scrambled over the sill. The elation still singing in his system at finally, finally, seeing his Shishido-san, Ohtori couldn’t help but tease, “Ne, Shishido-san, do you always help boys into your room through the window at night?”

“Just Atobe,” Shishido answered absentmindedly as he closed the window as he had intended to do before spotting his kouhai staring at him from under it.

At the answer, Ohtori stilled, the elation he’d felt earlier leaving at a rapid pace, leaving him feeling chilled in the heated room. Numbly he asked, “What?”

“Atobe…geez,” Shishido muttered as he pushed a hand through the now shoulder length hair in frustration. “The idiot keeps getting into fights with Tezuka and of course he has to leave the dorm to work it off, then stay past curfew and get locked out. But does he take a mark like the rest of us? No. He has to climb through my window to avoid the curfew people. Guess that’s what I get for having the only first floor room out of Hyoutei.”

Finally seeming to come around to the fact that Ohtori was standing in his room although still oblivious to Ohtori’s rigid stance, Shishido asked, “What the hell were you doing outside my window anyway, Choutarou?”

I thought you committed suicide and had to check for myself to make sure you were alive sounded a lot more plausible of an explanation before Ohtori saw Shishido sound of health and complaining about Atobe. Embarrassed now at his overreaction, Ohtori mumbled something about Taki-sempai, pressure, and three weeks of not receiving calls to the floor.

“Crap. Choutarou, sit,” Shishido ordered, and Ohtori sat quickly onto the empty bed, which he assumed was Shishido-san’s considering the other had been occupied by Jirou-sempai, who was snoring away.

Lifting his head as he sat, Ohtori watched Shishido drag a still sleeping Jirou out of the room and into what looked to be a lounge, dumping him on the large sofa. Jirou made no protest and Shishido turned back, slamming the door shut with a loud crack and locked the door.

Then, turning his attention back to the still staring Ohtori, Shishido took deep breath, steadying himself and came to sit next to his kouhai.

“Choutarou, listen,” Shishido began as he placed a hand on each of Ohtori’s shoulders and turned the younger boy until they were face-to-face once more. “I am so very sorry I didn’t call you and there’s no excuse, I realize that. I know that it’s a lot to ask and there’s not much I can do to make up for it, but I hope you can still forgive me for that gross oversight. I promise it will never happen again.”

Ohtori tried to breathe as Shishido’s eyes bore into his, sincerity shining from his eyes in that unforgettable way so many nights in the past. All Ohtori could do was nod, his vocal cords frozen at the intensity. Shishido-san simply didn’t do apologies, not even to get his spot back on the regulars, and yet here he was, apologizing in the sincerest way he knew how to his kouhai – no, his boyfriend. Shishido-san was apologizing as Ohtori’s boyfriend and the thought made Ohtori’s eyes tingle from the dryness, feeling as though he’d cried himself out despite not shedding a tear.

“Okay,” he finally managed to squeak between too-dry vocal cords as Shishido continued to stare at him.

At the answer, Shishido finally relaxed fractionally then suddenly pulled Ohtori into a full body hug, arms wrapping tightly around Ohtori’s shoulders despite the awkward position.

“Thank you,” he gasped into Ohtori’s ear.

Shishido-san didn’t thank people either. Ohtori tightened his grip on Shishido, his face buried into the warm crook between neck and shoulder, feeling, for the first time in three weeks, safe and happy.

“You know,” Ohtori mumbled into Shishido’s neck, face only warming a little at what he was about to suggest. “There is something you could do to make up for it.”

Ohtori could feel Shishido’s ribs expand as he suddenly inhaled. Then, without warning, Shishido’s mouth latched onto Ohtori’s in a heated, wet kiss. Shishido’s body tensed and with a push, tipped Ohtori from his awkward sitting position into a sprawl on the bed, the kiss unbroken. The unexpected motion caused Ohtori to gasp for breath and Shishido wasted no time to slide his tongue into the warm cavity, thrusting rhythmically in a mimic of their lower bodies, where Ohtori had tightened his grip on Shishido’s shirttails and was doing his best trying to burn his way through their clothes with sheer body heat alone.

When Ohtori whined in protest at the distinct lack of naked flesh, Shishido suddenly broke the kiss, trails of wet slickness still connecting the barely apart lips, and panted into Ohtori’s mouth, eyes searching frantically over Ohtori’s face with a nearly wild look. Ohtori laid still under Shishido’s weight, waiting impatiently for Shishido to find whatever it was he was looking for so that they can continue in the previously very productive line of action.

However, instead of dipping his head back for another open mouthed kiss that Ohtori was sure his look was screaming for, Shishido merely bussed his lips across Ohtori’s brows, more a caress than a kiss. Then, placing them forehead-to-forehead, Shishido did his best to still himself, although he did not seem capable of completely stopping the small circles his hips kept rubbing into Ohtori’s stomach.

“Shishido-san…?” Ohtori finally asked in confusion as Shishido didn’t seem inclined to continue.

“Next year, remember?” Shishido whispered, rubbing his nose back and forth against Ohtori’s.

“Yeah, but…” Ohtori wanted to point out there’s nothing wrong with now. In fact, now was a very good time in his opinion. He was here and wasn’t that what Shishido-san had protested against anyway?

“Choutarou, I’m not breaking another promise,” Shishido replied with a hint of steel. Then softening, he asked, “Can’t you see I’m trying not to screw things up here?”

Actually, what Ohtori can see was Shishido-san was definitely against Ohtori getting any and feeling just a tad on the frustrated side. The night had enough emotional ups-and-downs for Ohtori and he wasn’t sure he could handle another rejection. So, with determination, he continued with his protest, “But I’m here and I can be here, so why are we still waiting, Shishido-san?”

“Damnit, Choutarou will you think for a second?” Shishido exploded as he pushed himself away, his hands going through his hair again. “What are you going to do? Keep running here all year? It takes a good half a day to commute here by bus. Then what? Stay the night and go home with your parents asking where you’ve been all night and why you’re not studying for your exams?”

Ohtori sat up and opened his mouth, about to protest that he could do that, but Shishido had jumped up and began pacing the room frantically, cutting him off as he continued, “This is the most important year for you, damn it. If you don’t concentrate on schoolwork, you’re going to get left behind. Universities are competitive enough as it is and, I hate to say this, Choutarou, but even you can’t hope to pass those exams if you don’t study your ass off. Especially considering your school clubs. You don’t throw your future away for a roll in the bed, damn it!”

“Is that what this is?” Ohtori asked with dejection, feeling as though his chest was going to cave in from the pressure outside.

“Choutarou, no!” Then Shishido was on his knees between Ohtori’s open ones, looking up at the hung head, trying to catch Ohtori’s gaze. When Ohtori allowed their eyes to meet, Shishido whispered, “That’s what I’ve been trying to say. This isn’t just a one-night stand. Geez, Choutarou, I want this relationship to be our future. But I need you to be here, not running here from some other school on weekends, but here, under the same roof, eating our meals together, studying together. Tell me you understand.”

And Ohtori could only nod at the desperate plea in the voice, feeling his breath getting stuck somewhere in the vicinity of his windpipe, making his head dizzy. While Ohtori didn’t feel that Shishido-san was correct, that he could run between Hyoutei and the university dorms and still keep up with schoolwork, he did understand.

“Will you call?” Ohtori finally managed as Shishido stood from his kneeling position.

“Definitely.”

“So why didn’t you…um, before?” Ohtori wondered aloud.

Shishido fell onto the other bed and covered his eyes with his arm. “Oh god, you’re not going to believe even if I told you. It’s a long story, involving Atobe’s stupid painting and way too many investigators on this campus. They confiscated my phone since the first week and haven’t given it back since.” Then, taking his arm off his eyes, Shishido lifted his head to take a good look at Ohtori and said, “Choutarou, you have leaves in your hair.”

“Um, the guards won’t let me in,” Ohtori replied under his breath, slightly embarrassed at his bedraggled state.

“Don’t tell me,” Shishido answered in kind as he allowed his head to thump back against the mattress. Then suddenly he added, “No, actually, do tell me. Just not now. Go grab a shower,” and waved in the general direction of the small private bathroom.

“Um, Shishido-san, I don’t have any…” Ohtori began as he got up and headed for the indicated bathroom.

“Don’t worry, you can use mine,” Shishido answered still staring into the ceiling. “It’s the stuff on the right with the obnoxious S.R. embroidered in the corner. I have no idea how Atobe did that without me noticing. Ignore it.”

“Am I staying the night?”

“Yeah, we do have two beds after all.”

Ohtori paused at the threshold of the bathroom and gaped at his boyfriend. “But…what about Jirou-sempai?”

“Pfft, Jirou can sleep on the couch lounge, not like he notices the difference anyway,” Shishido scoffed then pushed himself up from his supine position. Walking to the still shocked Ohtori, he pinched the boy’s nose in affection and grinned wickedly, saying, “Tomorrow, we’ll sneak you off campus and let you get a taste of why they call Inui and Yanagi the Data Pair.”

Nodding in acknowledgement, Ohtori went into the bathroom. Maybe he still hasn’t gotten as far as he’d hoped, but Shishido-san was safe, they were here tonight, and in less than a year, Ohtori will walk back to this room as a university student and begin his future. For now, that was enough.