New Beginnings

"Hide said it was a stupid name for a band."

"Oh, no, I think it's a great name!" Toshiya grinned and hugged the shorter man. "Twisted Harmony has... a certain ring to it, I think."

Bou seemed uncertain. "He said he new a girl back in junior high school named Harmony, and she was very.. um.. kiny.."

Toshiya burst out laughing, slapping the blonde on the knee. "Oh, I remember Harmony." He whiped his eyes. "Don't worry, I think the others may like the name you picked out." He looked over Bou's shoulder and grinned. "Look, here they come now." He pointed towards several figures round ing the corner, walking their way. One was pushing a wheelchair, the others carrying vases of flowers and an overnight bag. The three men quickly stood and waited as their friends met them in the lobby and the nurse bowed and left, taking the chair with her. Bou hopped up and down in excitement, then gave Tora a big hug.

"I'm sO glad you're coming home now!"

Tora smiled and patted the blonde's back. "Me too, belive me."

---

Tora climbed in the back with Toshiya and Bou, the blonde chattering on about the names the others have been kicking around for their new band.

"So Kirito likes my idea, but I don't think Rose does." he huffed slightly, a tight grip on the vasses of daisies and lillies in his lap. "I'm not really sure how to discribe out music, so thats probably have the reason we can't seem to come up with a suitable name for ourselves."

"I like the name you picked out." Tora said quietly, sniffing the fresh roses in his hands. "It's.. fitting, especially when Kirito gets in one of those moods."

Bou grinned as Toshiya giggled behind his hand. "Well, thats certainly true." the young man sighed. "I just have to convince a few people really. I don't think Tsukasa or Hakuei care too much. Speaking of which.." Bou paused as the two men climbed into the drivers and passengers seats, respectivly, and Tsukasa started the engine. "Hey, do you guys like the name Tragic Harmony?"

Hakuei buckled his seatbelt, then twisted around so he could look behind him. "Sounds pretty cool." he turned to Tsukasa. "What do you think?"

The younger man grinned and looked out the window for any incoming cars. "I think it sounds perfect."

"Yes!" Bou bounced in his seat, nearly dropping the flowers, grinning form ear to ear. "Now just Rose and Hide left!"

Tsukasa rolled his eyes and looked in the rearview mirror, catching Tora's eye. "We're going to drop off those two giggly ones back there before taking you home. Is there anything in particular you think you might need? Hakuei and I are going to run a few errands for Yoshiki and I figured I'd grab some groceries for you too, since all your stuff we bought last week I'm sure has gone bad by now."

"Um..." Tora shrugged, "I can't think of anything off the top of my head, but thank you."

---

Tsukas shut off the engine and climbed out, Hakuei following. "We'll be right back," he called to Tora, still in the car. "I have to tell Kirito something before he goes to work."

Toshiya climbed out, handing his vase of flowers to Bou, who in turn tried to give all of them to Tora, but the other man was distracted. They followed Tora's gaze and watched as Hakuei leaned over to Tsukasa and whispered something in the shorter man's ear. Tsukasa laughed and hit him playfully on the arm before taking his hand in his own and disappearing around the corner of the house.

"He really loves him, doesn't he?" Tora asked softly, his eyes still staring out the window.

Toshiya sighed and climbed back into the car. "Yes, he does, very much so."

Tora nodded and sighed. "All of this has been very unfair to him." he looked at the other two men still in the backseat with him. "I mean, me coming back, interupting his life.. I've been very selfish, don't you think?"

Bou shook his head. "No, I don't think you've been selfish. If I have been in your position, I probably would have done the same thing. I would have dne anything I could to find Kirito again. But," the blonde frowned. "I still can't really say what you should do about it." He patted the other man's shoulder, then shooed Toshiya out of the car. "But I know you'll think of something." Tora grinned and waved as the two men left. After a moment, he took another sniff of the roses he was holding and continued to stare out the window, mind wandering.

---

He tossed the last of the rotten fruit in the trashcan and tied the bag shut. With a wrinkle of his nose he set it by the door to remember to take it out. He looked down at his hands and made his way down the hall to the small bathroom inside his room and turned on the faucet. Sqirting a good dollop of soap on his hands, he scrubbed and scrubbed until they were nearly raw and rinsed them off. He looked up and paused. Hands still dripping wet, he ran his fingers through the side of his head not shaved, fingering the silky black locks with a frown.

Tora walked back into his kitchen and picked up the cheap handset he'd found at the grocery store before going into the hospital and searched a small list of numbers taped to the front of his fridge until he found the right one and dialed.

"Hakuei?" he asked as the other man answered.

"Yes, Tora? What's up, did you remember something?"

"Yeah, well sort of. Um..," he frowned as he fought for the right words. "Do you happen to have Kisaki and Tsukasa's home phone number?"

"I think so, but if you want to talk to Tsukasa he's right here."

"I know, but I need to get ahold of Kisaki." he paused again. "I.. need to ask him a favor."

"Well, ok, just give me a sec." Tora could hear a rustling around as the phone was moved and then Hakuei came back on the line. "I don't have the home phone, never did call it, but I do have Kisaki's cell. Is that ok?"

"That's fine." Tora grabbed a pen off the counter and wrote on the paper with his other important numbers as his friend recited it for him. "Thank you."

"No problem."

---

Hakuei shut his phone and crossed his colorful arms over his chest, a thoughtful frown marring his face.

"Who was that?" Tsukasa asked as he tossed a bag of noddles into the cart. "I thought I heard my name."

"That was Tora." Hakuei scratched his chin absently. "He wanted Kisaki's phone number. Something about asking him for a favor."

"Hm." Tsukasa examined the label on a can of beans, the replaced it back where he found it. "Well, if he needs something, he might as well call you back because Kisaki's busy helping Yoshiki and Kirito open the bar."

"I swear that man has all our friends working for him!" Hakuei exclaimed.

Tsukasa turned around, wrapping his arms around Hakuei's waist. "He does and will continue to recruit all our friends as long as it keeps us all close by." He kissed the taller man softly on the lips. "He really loves us, especially you, even if he has a hard time showing it."

"I know." Hakuei kissed the younger man back, patting his soft head. It just seemed funny, that's all."

---

Tora let Tsukasa in, taking the paper bags from him with a greateful smile.

"Were you able to get ahold of Kisaki?" Tsukasa asked, following him into the kitchen. Tora paused and looked at the other man with a furrowed brow.

"No, uh, he didn't answer his cell." He slowly began unpacking the fruits and veggies, placing them in a clear glass bowel.

Tsukasa nodded. "I figured he might not. He's over at the bar right now and," he looked at his watch," they opened about half an hour ago, so it's probably pretty loud in there."

"Oh, I didn't know he was working at the bar at all, let alone tonight."

"Well, he usually doesn't, but since we were all running around, he volenteered to help Yoshiki open. I already dropped Hakuei off there and then I'll head on over in a minute to work the rest of the night." He eyed the other man curiously. "If you need something that bad, I certainly will-"

"No, it's ok." Tora turned around and smiled. "It's nothing." His grin faultered a bit as the other continued to stare at him. "What?"

"I don't know... but somethings different." Tsukasa's hand came up to brush a strand oh hair from Tora's eyes. "Somethings.. changed. But what is it?" He looked at the other more sternly. "What is it?"

Tora furrowed his brow and looked away. "I just.. wanted to thank him for the manga he bought me while I was in the hospital, and for all the roses." He looked back at the dark haired man. "They are my favorite, you know."

Tsukasa's eyes searched his a moment, then suddenly went wide.

"You.. you like him, don't you?"

Tora shook his head. "No I don't."

"Yes you do.." Tsukasa whispered. "I see it now.. he's been acting strange since you arrived, but I just didn't figure it was..." he turned away from Tora, leaning his back against the sink. "And you... why didn't I see it earlier?"

"There's really nothing to have seen. He's just a friend and I-" but he was stopped by Tsukasa's lips on his mouth, kissing him passionatly, then pulling back, giggling insanly.

"You goof! Why is that a bad thing??" Tsukasa nearly hopped up and down, hugging an astonished Tora. "Oh wow, this solves.. this... ah!" He pulled back and gazed into his friend's eyes. "I love you, Tora, very much, but I also love Hakuei. I... " he smiled fondly at the other, one hand cupping Tora's cheek. "Maybe if things had been different five years ago we would still be lovers. But now... you're going to live, hopefully, for as long as Life will allow, and ... and you can have someone else in your life. Someone to love you without regret or reservation." He leaned forward and kissed him again, this time more softly, and far more chaste. "This makes me very happy."

Tora seemed to come out of his shock and grabbed the other man, pulling him close. "Wait Tsukasa," he kissed him hard and quick, dancing over the other man's mouth and jaw and down his throat. "What if.. what if I'm wrong?" He rested his head on Tsukasa's collarbone, hands gripping the man's shirt. "What if I'm reading too much into his actions?"

Tsukasa pulled Tora into a tight embrace, swaying slightly back and forth. "I don't think you are. I've never seen him act like this before. Though.." he grinned. "I was also pretty sure Kisaki was straight."

Tora chuckled into Tsukasa's chest and wiped away the single tear he didn't realize had rolled down his cheek. "We're still friends?" He asked, looking up, eyes wide.

Tsukasa placed a tender kiss on his forhead. "Of course. We'll always be the best of friends, no matter what." He sighed and pushed the other man back. "Now, what are we going to do about Kisaki-san?"