Capítulo 49: Chapter 49
Gakushuu tried to pretend like he had found a zen.
He tired to pretend like he didn't care.
He tried really hard to pretend that Karma was enough (he was, just, maybe not always).
He tried really hard to pretend he was normal.
Like he was alright.
Spoiler alert, he wasn't.
It wasn't Gakushuu's fault.
It wasn't anyone's fault actually.
It was sheer coincidence.
Or maybe not, because class E was one of the most excellent classes they had.
Class 3-E beat class 3-A, in the school festival.
Normally, it wasn't a big deal.
No one really cared about rankings.
Okay, yes. Maybe class E scoring higher than class A was eyebrow raising and quite impressive, but aside from an ego boost for five seconds, it wouldn't have mattered.
The ranking held no significance.
Except.
Except this year, they had a psycho for a Principal.
The first thing that made him think that something was wrong, was when the Principal ordered Gakushuu to be present for breakfast.
They ate said breakfast in silence and Gakuhou sipped his coffee like he didn't have to leave in a minute.
"You don't have to go to school anymore," Gakuhou said.
It was an extremely misleading sentence. Which was why Gakushuu blinked a few times, tried to process the sentence and asked.
"What?"
Gakuhou gave him an exasperated look, like Gakushuu was the dullest person he had ever taught.
"You will study at home, until the finals. You are not to enter the school premises nor contact any of your friends until the finals are over," Gakuhou said the word distastefully, but ordered Gakushuu like he expected it to be fulfilled without any questions.
"Why?" Gakushuu asked. He wished he still had food on his plate so he could cut into it and eat because only that could match how little shits he gave about the 'order'.
For all he knew, it would give him another way to punish Gakushuu. Holding the absenteeism against his record and forcing him to do something or the other.
"You will comply, Asano," Gakuhou glared. Gakushuu sipped his water, the picture of nonchalance.
"And my attendance?" He asked, because it wasn't better to leave something unsaid when his father wanted something.
Gakuhou gave him another 'how dull you are' look.
"Your attendance will be excused, as always, but you will stay here and study, " he stressed the word, "and you will be undisturbed by others. To that end, I want you to submit your phone with the housekeeper," Gakuhou nodded to Mimi.
Gakushuu narrowed his eyes.
Suspicious.
"Why? You're going a little far for this to just be for my studies," Gakushuu said coldly.
"You will need to be completely relaxed and in control of your faculties if you want to do your best in the finals. It is an important time for you." Gakuhou almost sounded like a concerned parent. "I want to make sure there will be no disturbances. Including your boyfriend and from your classmates who incessantly ask you for help and take up your time before exams."
Gakushuu stared his father down. They had the same exact poker face on and it was odd. Gakushuu could tell there was something wrong about the whole thing. The wording 2as off but that worry-
He believed his father's words.
He took out his phone, and Mimi reached forward, a tray in her hands. Gakushuu held eye contact with his father as he dropped it in the tray.
Mimi left.
Gakuhou nodded, wiping his mouth.
"I will see you at dinner," Gakuhou said, relieved.
He was relieved.
Gakushuu nodded.
"Dinner," he confirmed.
His father was gone for five minutes before Gakushuu sneaked out the kitchen window, and ran straight for Ren's house.
Ren visibly startled at seeing Gakushuu in his casual clothes instead of his school uniform, breathing unsteadily and on the balcony of Ren's second story room.
"Gakushuu," he startled, and Gakushuu shook his head, waving his hand to make him lover his volume, "what are you doing here?" he hissed quietly.
"Today, something happened. Gakuhou was-" Gakushuu furrowed his brow, "he seemed concerned for me."
Ren deadpanned.
"No, that's not what I mean," Gakushuu cut Ren's joke off before he even started. "I want you to find out what happened. Something is going to happen today. And he wants me out of it. He didn't even let me go to school today! He's always irritating me about being the perfect student, not sleeping in class, showing up on time! And now he wants me out of it?"
Ren frowned.
"That's suspicious. And he's concerned for you? What's he going to do? Set fire to the place?" He half joked. Gakushuu shook his head irritatedly.
"I don't have my phone, but I'll come back after school. You'll have to find out what is happening and tell me . Warn everyone else too. He's going to pull something that might get other people caught up in it," Gakushuu scowled. Ren flattened his lips.
"He's always been careless with people around you, but he's never taken you out of school before." Ren slowly tied his tie and they spent a moment in silence.
"Maybe he's really going to set fire to the school," Ren scoffed.
"No, it doesn't serve a purpose. It's too reckless. It has something to do with finals. You'll have to keep your eyes peeled and tell me . If I don't hear from you, I'll turn the school upside down, okay?" Gakushuu said the words carefully, like he wanted to get the message across to Gakuhou instead. "I'm not going to be retrained at all. I'll go fucking crazy." He warned.
Ren raised an eyebrow, unimpressed.
"Whatever you say, champ. Now go, before you miss your check in time," Ren shooed. Gakushuu smirked.
"Of course," he said, he put a hand on the wall, and the other on the railing, about to swing down. "And I wasn't lying," he stared into Ren's eyes, "so be careful ," he stressed.
Ren smirked confidently.
"Don't worry," he said.
Ren wasn't smirking confidently nor was he not worrying because Asano Gakuhou just dropped the attendance record on the teacher's desk and he was announcing that he was going to be their temporary class teacher until the finals came.
Oh fuck, Ren cursed mentally, suddenly far too aware of the phone burning a hole in his pocket. Gakushuu didn't have a phone. He couldn't text him, and they hadn't even thought of this.
Ren closed his eyes in resignation.
They were so screwed.
Ren didn't come back from school on time.
Gakushuu went to his second option.
Karma was home, twirling a pencil in his hand as he studied for something with his window open, when Gakushuu looked for the other boy.
Gakushuu entered his house, already far too familiar with the layout.
Karma was looking at the door by the time he entered it.
"You were staring pretty hard," Karma's face softened when he saw Gakushuu. He extended a hand out. Gakushuu half curled up in his lap, resting his head on Karma's shoulders.
They sat in silence.
Then, "what happened to Ren?" Gakushuu asked.
Karma pulled his head away, turning to look Gakushuu in the eye.
"Gakushuu? Did something happen?" He asked, running a soothing hand down his back.
"My father asked me to stay back home today. He took my phone, and told me not to contact anyone," Gakushuu started, he curled his fingers through the space between his short buttons.
Karma's shoulders were broader, stronger. His muscles were far more prominent than they had been a year before. He had abs too, Gakushuu let a finger sneak through the buttons to touch Karma's abs almost carelessly.
"I'm worried. There's something wrong," he whispered.
Karma wrapped his hands around Gakushuu, then he lifted them both up, walking and then dropping back on his bed.
Gakushuu huffed out a laugh.
He had been curled up in an precariously uncomfortable position on the chair, but Karma was as considerate as always.
Then he held Gakushuu's face still, and stared at him.
"I know what happened," he said, his golden eyes looked concerned. "Gakuhou is the attending teacher for all the subjects for class A. I thought," Karma pushed Gakushuu's oddly messy hair behind his ear, "you were among them."
Gakushuu frowned, pulling away from the comfort Karma offered. He sat at edge of the bed, Karma sat up, looking at Gakushuu with concern, but that was almost too far from the chaos in his mind.
"He's their teacher?" He said blankly.
Two different moments flashed across his head- one long ago, of Gakuhou laughing as he taught his students how to play basketball, and another, far more recent, where Gakuhou laid a hand on a boy Gakushuu's age and told him to swing his bat even when Karma and Isogai stood in the way.
He closed his eyes.
This wasn't what he wanted.
He didn't want to see something like this happen to his classmates.
Gakushuu huffed out a breath.
Then he giggled.
Then he bit the inside of his lips so hard it bled.
He hunched over, his fingers digging into his cheek, as he breathlessly giggled and cried.
Tears trailed down his cheeks, and he wished….he wished.
"Hey, hey," Karma whispered, pulling Gakushuu, into an embrace. Gakushuu pushed him away. The heat didn't feel comforting, it didn't feel good anymore.
He just felt like he was burning up inside already.
He curled up in himself, breathing with high pitched whines.
He didn't see the flicker of pain that crossed Karma's face. Karma gently pulled Gakushuu's hand away from his hair and face, pulling it away from the scratches he had managed to form on his own face.
Gakushuu was heaving breaths like he was about to double over and vomit, and also like he couldn't breathe .
Karma held Gakushuu by his shoulders, tightened his grip until it was just short of painful. He knocked their foreheads together, ignoring the trail of tears that ran down Gakushuu's face, as he tried to get his breathing under control.
"Breathe, breathe, Gakushuu," Karma tried to keep his own anxiety out of his voice. "We did this before, remember? Inhale, and hold. Count with me. One, two- okay, exhale and hold, okay? One, two, three-"
Karma kept pace, counting out slowly, as he pulled Gakushuu out. It took time, and patience and when he saw the first sign of improvement, Karma breathed a sigh of relief, assured by the fact that it was working.
Gakushuu collapsed against Karma after that, exhausted like he had run a marathon for good measure.
Karma rested his head against Gakushuu's head, and gently rubbed his back.
They stayed on the bed, for the next few hours, Karma's studies forgotten and Gakushuu didn't even care about the fact Mimi had probably already found an empty room when she checked up on him again.
They laid together, both awake, but silent. Staring off into nothing.
"Thanks," Gakushuu said softly, the words would have been unheard if not for the absolute silence that had descended upon them.
Karma didn't reply, letting his actions speak for themselves, like he always had. He kept rubbing Gakushuu's back, a slow pace that comforted Gakushuu.
Gakushuu curled up closer.
"Sorry for pushing you away," Gakushuu whispered. Karma stiffened then forced himself to slowly relax.
He lifted himself up, to lay a soft kiss on Gakushuu's temple.
"Just as long as you don't do it again," he whispered back. His voice cracked, and Gakushuu winced.
"Okay," he agreed softly. His head on Karma's chest, and he trailed designs on top of Karma's shirt.
"You're dressed nice," Gakushuu said after a while. He hooked a finger through between the buttons and trailed a pattern against Karma's stomach. Karma huffed a laugh, hardening his abs when Gakushuu poked.
Gakushuu raised himself up on his elbows.
"How impressive," he whispered against Karma's lips. Karma laughed into the kiss.
"Not as impressive as my boyfriend," Karma whispered, his hands reached down his hands reached for Gakushuu's stomach and Gakushuu startled. He twitched, far too late to escape from Karma's hands.
Karma tickled him, and Gakushuu bit his lip trying not to laugh. Then unable to help himself, he tried to roll away, giggling to himself.
Karma pursued.
Gakushuu was once again, unable to escape, and he laughed helplessly as Karma poked at Gakushuu's abs.
Then Karma stopped, the delighted grin on his face faded to a soft look as he stared at Gakushuu laid out on his bed, hair splayed out roughly as he let a tear of laughter escape from his eyes.
Karma's heart felt so full he wondered how he was even breathing. He hovered over Gakushuu, looking down on him laughing, as he stared up at Karma fondly. He quirked his eyebrow at Karma.
Karma smiled, moving a stray hair from the edge of Gakushuu's mouth.
He leaned in closer, and Gakushuu met him halfway, in a soft, slow kiss.
Love was easy to speak of, the words of love were deceptive.
Karma had heard enough of the word in his life, but it was his first time experiencing it with all his heart.
He had thought it was only going to be Koro-sensei for a moment. Koro-sensei who didn't hesitate, who would give up anything for Karma, for their class.
Koro-sensei was special.
But so was Gakushuu.
Karma traced the small injuries Gakushuu had made on his own face with his thumb as he pulled away just a little.
Gakushuu looked at him in wonder, feeling all of Karma's feelings in that one kiss.
Karma looked at Gakushuu's eyes, somewhere between scared and far too in love to care. Gakushuu curled a hand behind Karma's neck, his eyes unbelievably soft as he caught Karma's strands through his fingers.
Karma leaned in again, gently kissing Gakushuu.
He cared, he worried, and he trusted.
He had faith in Gakushuu's strength.
He trusted Gakushuu to win.
When Karma pulled away the next time, he had a soft smirk on his lips.
Gakushuu smiled back up, almost helplessly happy.
They laid there, foreheads against each other, and breathing slowly.
Then Karma pulled away. He sat up and offered Gakushuu a hand that the other accepted.
"You're the best thing that happened to me," Gakushuu told Karma, a smile still on his lips.
Karma grinned.
"I know," he replied with a wink.
Gakushuu laughed.
Karma put a hand on the bed, and then leaned over to lay a kiss on Gakushuu's cheek.
A silent 'you are too' that made Gakushuu smile fondly.
"I guess I have to go back and see what damage I left behind," his smile was replaced with a determined look. Karma tilted his head.
"Don't forget that I'm going to beat you in the finals," he reminded. Gakushuu laughed.
"Let's see. I owe you a reward for beating me in a fight already, don't I? How about double or nothing?" Gakushuu said cheekily.
Karma caught Gakushuu's hand, and pulled him close.
"Double or nothing," Karma purred, his finger traced Gakushuu's neck, where his pulse jumped. Gakushuu placed a hand over his neck, a blush on his face as he glared mock-angrily at Karma.
"Don't do that," he warned. Karma's smile widened. He wrapped his hands around Gakushuu's waist.
"But you react so well ," Karma whispered against his ear, before he bit it, tugging it teasingly. Gakushuu stifled a moan in his throat.
"Hmm?" Karma replied, a teasing smile on his lips as he let go, trailing down Gakushuu's skin to kiss his pulse. "Your heart is beating so hard, Shuu. I wonder why," Karma teased.
"You-ah!" Gakushuu cut off with a loud gasp when Karma nibbled the skin, then he pulled it in his mouth and sucked.
It was a rush of heat, a shiver and a desperate lust that Gakushuu couldn't help voice. His hands clutched at Karma's shoulders as he licked, from the hollow at the base of his throat, to his ear.
He nibbled on Gakushuu's skin and Gakushuu closed his eyes and tried not to give away just how good that felt.
Karma was sucking a hickey just below Gakushuu's ear when he suddenly let out a hiss of pain. Gakushuu let go, startled.
His nails had been digging into Karma's arm, there were already small rivets of blood. Gakushuu stared at the marks, completely startled, very out of breath and absolutely red in the face.
"I-" he started, before he cleared his throat embarrassed. His voice was-
Karma's lips curled up, looking so male and smug that Gakushuu wanted to punch him in the face.
Gakushuu pouted.
Then he tugged Karma close by his shirt and swallowed the small startled sound Karma made.
He gave a smug look when Karma blinked at him absently, dazed for a few seconds.
Karma shook his head, amused.
"Well, you have an excuse now," he said, his eyes on Gakushuu's throat littered with marks. Gakushuu rolled his eyes upward.
That was just Karma's newest excuse to mark him up again, and nothing else.
Then Gakushuu looked at the small presents he had dug into Karma's arms.
"... you won't be able to hide that without your jacket," Gakushuu said.
Karma raised an eyebrow, startled, before a knowing smile spread over his lips.
"Of course, Shuu," he said, laying a soft kiss against Gakushuu's lips again. "Now go," he laughed.
Gakushuu sighed, resting his head against Karma's for half a moment before he pulled away, and leapt out the window.
Karma shook his head, before going to the bathroom to wash away the blood from his arms.
(Karma went to school without his jacket and everyone in class screamed excitedly and Koro-sensei sat him down for a lecture which was a mix of a teacher's 'safe sex' and a parent's 'don't have sex when you're so young!!')
(Gakushuu went home to Mimi who was quietly reporting to Gakuhou that Gakushuu had been studying in his room all day, and had already eaten his dinner, so he wouldn't be present for dinner as expected.
She winked when she saw Gakushuu standing at his doorway, neck covered in a variety of bruises.)
(She gave him a bruise healing cream the next morning with his breakfast, and Gakushuu blushed, embarrassed but far too grateful for her, to not shoot her a smile.
She patted his head.)
Status de energia semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Pedra de
Poder