InsaneJournal

Ouran High School Host Club (Kasanoda/Tetsuya)
Title: Tunnel Vision
Author/Artist: tdei
Rating: PG
Warnings: n/a
Word count: 1145
Prompt: Ouran High School Host Club, Kasanoda/Tetsuya: Playing with hair - "Why did you grow your hair out?"
A/N: Sorry this took so long! ;__; But here it is. :X Not sure if this is what was asked for since I barely brushed the hair thing but... Couldn’t think of a title either so I just popped the first thing that kind of works. I’m still planning to do the three picture prompts I owe (7/7 HMC, Witch/Howl; 7/11 Xover, Ticky Mick/Lust; 7/16 YnM, Touda/Tsuzuki) but I dunno if it’s kosher still posting... if I’m told not, if the requesters still want, just please drop your contact info so I can tell when when I have them. :O I'll be gone for half a week so the pics will be a while.
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I can fall in love with someone this kind.

That's what I thought that rainy afternoon, as I listened to the rain fall against your umbrella over my head.

:
:

Entering the third music room of Ouran High School is a surprisingly dangerous decision at any time. One never knew what he would find himself in for. So, when Tetsuya Sendou walks in and finds his gang leader scarlet from the tips of his ears to well below his collar, Tetsuya isn’t alarmed, even thought he didn’t expect to see Ritsu so off balance.

Since his first traumatic visit, which involved an indescribable sight that he has since wiped from his mind, Tetsuya thinks he’d be unsurprised by anything.

He knows very well that very few can remain unfazed with the Hitachiin twins peering over either shoulder leering devil's grins, the Ootori heir flashing the small secretive smile he gives only to someone who’s utterly fucked as he sits in front of them, and the rest of the eccentric host club surrounding them. Ritsu, despite the strength and trueness of his character, is not one of them.

Being the heir to the most powerful yakuza group in Kantou, Ritsu has a healthy sense of self preservation.

Glad he’d opened the door quietly, Tetsuya pauses at the threshold to get a better idea of the situation before he involves himself. The last thing he wants is to cause his boss further embarrassment, even if the caution Tetsuya takes may make others look down on his assertiveness. Leaning quietly on the door frame and staying still, Tetsuya lets the tastefully wrapped small basket he carries hang in one hand as he studies the students, dressed in their school uniforms today, before him.

The small photo album, Tetsuya decides, is what probably spelled Ritsu’s doom today. Kyouya is slowly turning its pages on the table between he and Ritsu as the other host club members crane their necks to inspect its brightly colored photos. Ritsu looks as if he were in a murderous rage, which means he is devastatingly mortified.

“Whoaaa, you seriously looked like the Devil!” laughed one of the twins, jabbing a finger towards one of the pictures.

“Compared to back then, you look less scary,” added in the other twin. Ritsu twitches as the twin leans nonchalantly on his shoulder with an arm.

“Agreed. I didn’t think it was possible,” continued the first twin.

“Really? It's just the hair isn't it?” says Haruhi, off to Ritsu’s side. The redhead holds rigidly still, despite his twitching, to keep from moving a millimeter in Haruhi’s direction.

Ah, Tetsuya thinks, watching Ritsu, These must be pictures of when I met the young master. When he was in junior high.

“Wow, you're right. It's great you grew it out, huh, Casanova?” said the second twin, giving him a wicked grin.

“It's Kasanoda,” Ritsu mutters with a half-hearted growl, attempting to edge away without being noticed. The twins however noticed and smirked. Simultaneously.

“I think Bossanova looks better with long hair, right?” chirps Honey.

“Mm,” says Takashi.

Tamaki gives a thoughtful noise of agreement and a chorus of 'yeahs' sound on his heels.

Ritsu's blush darkens. He looks on the verge of aneurysm.

Tetsuya contemplates how to go about interjecting himself into the conversation when he has the sense of someone’s attention on him. That’s the only split-second warning he has before his watcher speaks.

"What do you think, Sendou?" invites Kyouya, startling the others into looking in his direction. “Does Kasanoda look better with long hair?”

“Tetsuya!” growls Ritsu with surprise as he sees his underling at the door. “When did you--"

Bowing slightly to his boss in respect, Tetsuya looks at the Ootori heir with an obliging, carefully constructed smile and says noncommittally, "So it seems."

“It’s settled then!” Tamaki pats Kasanoda on the shoulder triumphantly while some of the others nod with vindication. The rest give Tetsuya a bemused sidelong glance.

Ritsu shoots them all a blood-chilling glare.

“Kasanoda-kun, you’re being scary again,” says Haruhi.

“Oh. My bad.”

Kyouya allows Hikaru the photo album and smirks as it changes between their hands. The motion nearly hides Kyouya’s smug smile, but Tetsuya sees it and merely shrugs as Kyouya takes out his notebook and a fountain pen to notate on the paper.

Tetsuya doesn’t hide he hates the fact that Ritsu grew out his hair.

Even before he found the ridiculous trashy magazine guaranteeing successful image changes hidden away in the garbage during Ritsu's last year of junior high, he had understood why Ritsu had begun growing out his hair.

Ritsu must have hoped longer hair would soften the predatory lines of his angular face. That it would hide the piercing force of his personality. He, Tetsuya thinks, must've been crushed when the civilians still treated him as terrifying as ever.

Tetsuya doesn’t think Ritsu realized longer hair only made his natural beauty ever more heart-striking. Those too blind to see Ritsu for who he is in the first place wouldn't ever see him for who he was. If anything, they would’ve only been more distracted and frightened by the wild crimson strands tied from Ritsu’s face.

Tetsuya imagines, sometimes, tangling his fingers in the long crimson strands, if he'd be let close enough. But someone else has gotten through to Ritsu before Tetsuya could.

At the touch of a gentle hand on his wrist, the blond starts from the flow of his thoughts. Tetsuya can't stop the surge of hotness rushing to his face as he finds himself facing Ritsu's intense eyes. Tetsuya knows without hearing the words, Ritsu's concern for him.

"Young master," says Tetsuya, straightening. "I apologize for interrupting your personal time, but the guys and I realized you forgot this this morning." The bracelets on his left wrist clink as he holds out the wrapped gift. Ritsu stares at it for a moment and looks at Tetsuya confusedly.

"Fujioka's present that you made him?" Tetsuya smiles gently, winking an eye shut.

"Ah-- oh! Yeah. Thanks. Sorry I forgot..." Ritsu takes the basket from Tetsuya’s hand and awkwardly offers it to Haruhi, who is coming up behind him.

"It’s okay. Even if you forget, we have your back.” Tetsuya tucks his hands into his cargo pants.

Haruhi accepts the gift slowly. “Thank you, Kasanoda-kun... um, what is this for?”

Tetsuya sees Ritsu freeze. He gives a brief laugh to attract Haruhi’s attention to him. “The young master heard,” he explains, blithely taking liberties with establishing what Ritsu knew, “That your troublesome debt was canceled and thought the special occasion deserved a celebratory present.”

“I see... thank you, Kasanoda-kun!” Haruhi says with sincere appreciation. He smiles at Ritsu and Ritsu smiles back, but he is looking at Tetsuya from the corner of his eyes.

Tetsuya smiles innocuously at Ritsu’s searching gaze.

Anything for you.