Unrequited

Chapter Eight

Tamaki is a mess. He has been for the past six months. Six long, torturous months away from Kyoya- the man he knows now that he loves. He wants to run to Kyoya- scream like a child and leap into his arms. He wants to raise Emiko with him and maybe a few little ones of their own. He wants to massage Kyoya's shoulders after a long day and work and tell Kyoya about his day. He wants all of Kyoya's snark and wit to be with him always.

But he can't. Kyoya loves Nekozawa and wants to be with him now and though Tamaki's stomach revolts at the thought of Nekozawa being with Kyoya- loving him, touching him the way Tamaki so desperately wants to- he can do nothing about it. Kyoya will be married in two weeks and that's that. Kyoya will be happy with a man he loves and Tamaki can live with that. Or so he tells himself.

"Tama-chan? Tama-chan? Earth to Tama-chan?" Hunny says cheerfully, breaking Tamaki out of his revery. Tamaki was at Hunny's house- playing with Usagi and the Hitachiin twins' daughters Hana and Kaede, who Haruhi brought over- until he got distracted in thoughts about Kyoya and his mind floated off the earth.

"Sorry Hunny-senpai. I got distracted," he admits, standing up to go sit on the couch with the other adults in the room.

"You were thinking about Kyoya again," Haruhi says bluntly, as though she truly knows.

"Yes," Tamaki admits sheepishly.

"You should tell him how you feel Tama-chan. I'm sure he would appreciate it," Hunny says, kicking his little feet.

"He made it very clear where we stand last time we spoke," Tamaki says, remembering the shouted words over the phone.

"Don't! Don't talk to me like you care for me! You knew damn well my feelings for you, even you couldn't be so stupid to miss the signs, and still you led me on! For years I've waited, but now I've moved on! Leave me be!" Kyoya had screamed, voice going rough with intensity.

"Kyoya, I love you," Tamaki had pleaded, desperate. "I didn't know then but I know now. Please don't do this. Don't cut me out."

"You don't love me. You love having me. You've always hated losing what you thought was yours, threw a fit whenever any girl at the club would move on to a different host, threw a fit when Haruhi moved on after you finished the relationship, and now you're throwing a fit because you're losing me. Well I won't play this game, not anymore Tamaki. I don't play games that I can't win," Kyoya hisses, voice going cold and the line going dead as he hangs up. Tamaki cried that night. He lost not only the man he loves, but his best friend too.

"Tamaki, he invited you to the wedding. That has to mean something," Haruhi argues. Tamaki shakes his head.

"No. He only invited me to keep the goodwill between our families."

"That's stupid Tama-chan. You know Kyoya's never cared about cutting ties if it benefits him more than his family to cut them. If he wanted you out of his life he wouldn't have invited you," Hunny says, laying a soothing hand on Tamaki's shoulder. Tamaki feels a slight surge of hope. Maybe he hadn't lost his best friend. He feels a new purpose. He'll go to the wedding and be the most supportive best friend there is. He has to do this. For Kyoya.