𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩; KAORU HIITACHIN & TAMAKI SUOH

chapter six: black dahlia

black dahlia 

the flower of betrayal and sadness 

For some terrible reason the boys thought it would be over. This fun little charade that their paramour designed especially for them was thought to be over. As you may be able to tell, they were far from the truth. 

Once again, Kaoru read the back of the note: 

escape room: The Black Dahlia Murder 
goal: find the real one 

rule #1: you must both open the same door 

rule #2: you must both choose the same room

rule #3: survive at all costs 

Perhaps the repetition of the third rule should've caused some alarm to the boys. But with all of their happiness being placed into a strangers' hands, why not give him their trust as well. 

Now, while Kaoru was panicking over the flower, Tamaki took an initiative. (surprising, I know). the blonde grasped the piece of worn out paper and held on just a little tighter. As if he was asking someone, anyone, for a shred of comfort. 

And although Tamaki had never taken the botany class, he had spend countless hours in bed watching videos of unsolved murders. His knowledge was like an endless canyon of facts. Any case, any time, he had the answers. 

"Kaoru." He whispered, so hushed you would have to stand right next to him to hear. Tamaki took another look around the room. It changed. "Kaoru." More urgency to his voice. It wasn't until Kaoru himself noticed the two doors that he decided to respond to Tamaki's wavering call. 

"Tamaki," Kaoru wanted to sound commanding but it came out just as uncertain as his friend's. "The... um. The black dahlia has to do with betrayal. B-Betrayal and uh, and—" 

"That's not important right now!" He snapped. Admiteddly, a bit harsher than intended. "We have to think about the doors, Kaoru, the doors are the answer." 

This was a side to Tamaki that he had never seen before. And if it hadn't been for m/n, it was a side he probably would've never seen. So, bewildered as he was, he let the seemingly knowledgeable Tamaki take charge. And from above, the man that they were doing all of this for, watched with a heavy heart. 

"The Black Dahlia murder was simple." Tamaki began, grazing his fingers along the bare concrete door. All that decorated it was a simple steel handle. "She was found sliced clean in half at the waist by a mother walking along the street." He let a soft laugh grace his lips as he looked at the other door. "Her naked body was put in such a pose that at first glance, she thought it was a mannequin." 

The younger male stood there, completely stunned. And honestly? A little too terrified to find the right words. All he could do was glance down at the second door's handle. It had a keypad on it and he could see Tamaki reaching for it. He could see his mind working, trying to wrack through all the possible combinations. 

Was it the day she dissapered? The day she died? Maybe it was her birthday. Or maybe the combination had nothing to do with her at all. 

With all of the courage and willpower he could muster, Kaoru spoke. "Did they... find him?" 

"Who?" Tamaki replied, not bothering to look up and distract himself further. 

"The guy who killed her. Did they find him?" 

There was a silence. A long, drawn-out, deafening silence. 

"No." 

His breath hitched. His breathing became ragged and his mind could barely form a coherent thought. Maybe he would regret his following words. But that was a problem for the future. "Let's open this one. The door without the lock." 

This time Tamaki looked back. "Are you insane? How is taking the easy way out a smart option? No, no. How is it an option at all?!—" 

"We don't have time to sit around and think Tamaki!" He twisted his entire body to face the door. He set his hand down with a wince. Cold. So very cold. Maybe it just felt that way because his body was on fire. He didn't know. He didn't care. This entire situation was too insane to keep thinking! 

"Kaoru—!" Without any hesitation, Tamaki laid his hand atop Kaoru's on the metal handle. The younger male looked over, with a fear in his eyes that Tamaki could never forget, and he pushed down. 

Before they knew it, the door was opening, and god was it a sight for sore eyes. Standing in all his glory, was the man both of them had been aching to see. That's not the right word. Pining to see. Anything that it took, anything at all and they would do it. 

Just like the Black Dahlia, m/n was stripped of his clothes and put on display in such a pose it made their cheeks heat up. Slightly, even for a moment, taking their eyes off of his outreached hand which held a flower. A flower they had both grown to hate. The dahlia. 

"Will you please accept this flower? As a token of my appreciation?" The man asked, making their heart's ache once more. But just as quickly as he opened the door, Kaoru remembered the words from earlier that night. 

"Never trust a stranger that hands out flowers." 

He bolted out of the room as fast as his feet would let him. If this was all a ruse, he was going to kill m/n when he saw him. But that... that was not m/n. 

"Tamaki!" He called, snapping his friend out of his trance. The red from his face travelled far down his body until it was fully absorbed. It took a harsh tug to get him back down to reality. "Tamaki! What year did she die?" 

"S-Sorry what—" 

"The year! What year did The Black Dahlia die?!" 

Tamaki wasn't quite sure why his friend was in such a rush to get away from the man he knew they both wished for. Though, in his mind he didn't really want to ask why. 

"1947..." His voice drifted as he watched the numbers being punched in. A small green light flickered before Kaoru attempted to push down on the handle. 

The pain seared throughout his hand and travelled down his whole body. It burned a print that he would never forget. Quite a different sensation than Tamaki was feeling. 

Rule #1: you must both open the same door. He remembered reading off the back of that torn page. 

Suddenly, Tamaki felt a hand grasp at his wrist. It pulled him down like a few moments before, but this time he felt his own hand clamp against the door handle involuntarily. "No, no—!" Kaoru forced their hands to push down and open the door. 

And there he stood, surrounded by a bed of dahlias, was m/n. The real one. The one he'd be willing to put his life down on the line for even though they'd barely held a conversation. The one he'd burnt his hand to a crisp for. The one he would sacrifice everything for. 

The one he did sacrifice everything for. 

ngl it's 230 in the morning, i ain't reading allat 
so i hope you accept my unedited version of my apology for being gone for 4 months 
<3
1220 words.