𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩; KAORU HIITACHIN & TAMAKI SUOH

chapter eleven: petunia

petunia 

flower of resentment and anger 

"Stockholm syndrome." Hikaru quoted the Google response into an empty room. Kaoru's bed sat eerily empty across from him. "This fucker."

Hikaru had begun a deep-dive search, scouring the entirety of the internet for any possible answer as to why his brother had changed so much in the past weeks. The bottomless Reddit posts finally led him to the closest thing he could find as an answer. Truthfully, most people who talked about this disorder were more often than not talking about fictional books rather than their real lives. In Hikaru's mind, the line was blurring more and more.

Stockholm syndrome, for anyone unfamiliar, is an emotional response where captured victims harbour positive feelings toward their captors. There are many stages of this condition, and the twin had no idea how far it had gone with his brother and upperclassman. A part of him burned to understand while the other wished he could lay back and watch the flames devour him.

Nevertheless, his love for his brother would always overcome any other ridiculous thoughts.

His first thought was to turn to the people his brother loved most to convince him to come home. Come home to his family—a new realization set in without permission. Kaoru had no one, nothing, nobody. Not anymore.

Tamaki would just have to do for now.

"I need to speak to the headmaster." Hikaru's request echoed in the still air of the otherwise bright office the next day. The secretary barely looked up from her monitor before waving a hand in his face. "No, i don't think you understand." He didn't mean to plead. "I need to talk to him about my brother."

When Headmaster Suoh hired a new secretary he would ask (demand) they not speak to the students unless it consisted of 2 words. They were a very particular two words, and would never otherwise be spoken to the headmaster's secretary unless necessary.

"I need to speak to him about Tamaki Suoh."

Two words. One name. If one dared speak it within the radius of the headmaster they should be prepared to face any consequences. As if saying the lord's name in vain, the pastor rose from his chair to scold the student.

"Into his office, please."

Hikaru wasted no time before throwing himself through the door, almost breaking the hinges. The metal hinges didn't make a sound. The door did not need to be opened for anyone except the headmaster.

"Mr. Suoh—"

"Headmaster." Mr. Suoh snapped his drawer and Hikaru's lips shut.

Hikaru grit his teeth, he didn't need to be expelled from school so soon into the year. So, with as much obedience he could muster, he repeated, "Headmaster, my brother and your son are in danger."

Several emotions contorted on the elder Suoh's face but were gone within a split second. "I talked to Tamaki yesterday, he's in pristine condition." Pristine wasn't the word Hikaru would've used, but he was definitely... something.

"So you know where he is?"

"Yes."

"...and you're okay with it?"

"Yes."

"He threatening them, you know that, right?"

Hikaru had enough. Nothing was going to improve in this back-and-forth game of theirs. "Threatening to kill them and then making them fall in love with a fucking psychopath!" A hole bore into the perfectly sized carpet in the centre of the office.

The headmaster stayed silent for a beat and Hikaru waited impatiently for his next words. "M/n is not a story that everyone can understand. He writes his story in English and teaches his students Russian."

And...

What the fuck did that even mean?

"Are you saying you're a psychopath too? Because that checks out." Hikaru let out a half breath half laugh. Suddenly, he felt his legs wobble and the wish to sit down was becoming more appealing.

Instead of scolding him, like Hikaru thought he would, Headmaster Suoh continued with his antics. "If I tell you a truth, you best preach it like the bible. I have known what is best for my son his entire life, this is no diff—"

"But it's my brother!" Hikaru begged. Unconsciously, his fingers gripped the wooden desk until they were white and splinters were littered across his nails. "It's not your son or your student, it's my brother and my friend! I need you...!" He gasped in between breaths, "I need your help, headmaster. I beg you to help me."

Hikaru left the office 10 minutes later with all hope lost. The only thing the elder Suoh left him with was the promise to send a letter to m/n's household and a harsh scolding from his secretary for causing a ruckus.

Hikaru Hitachiin used to believe in his brother. If someone asked him 15 hours ago who he trusted most in this world, the answer was instantaneous: his brother — his other half. Hikaru Hitachiin failed his brother in every way imaginable, and so did Kaoru.

As the world drowned the young Ouran student, Headmaster Suoh opened his drawer to a note he had written earlier in the afternoon.

Mr. M, I hope this letter finds you well. I understand your reasoning for ignoring my recent calls, however, I find myself in an unusual position of demanding you give me my son.

Tamaki Suoh is not your property. He is my son, a student of Ouran Academy, and a friend to many. His academics and peers need him back on the grounds immediately. If he is not returned by Tuesday at 5 pm, the authorities will be sent to your home on behalf of the Ootori family.

I have no ill intentions, no matter how it seems. Tamaki will forever be my son first.

Deepest regards, Headmaster Suoh

Attached, m/n would come to find a petunia taped to the front. He guessed someone had hand-delivered this so as to not damage the flower, but that's how rich people operated anyway. M/n didn't have time to second guess himself anymore. He had hours instead of days. Minutes instead of weeks.

Tamaki could leave this house now if he said the wrong thing.

Still, as he was kneeling on the floor with Tamaki's weight pulling him down further by the second, he replied. "Because no one else wants you." 

1038 words, kinda short sry

also sorry for the delay 

two chapters are gonna come out this month (probably?) to make up for it

(exam szn sorry)