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Gladion's knuckles grazed the door. He should turn around, act like nothing was happening. That was the smart thing to do.
Sometimes Gladion wasn't smart, though. Weeks, months, Hau had been ignoring him. Making every excuse to turn away and avoid talking to him. Gladion was tired of being treated like a brick wall by the same man that he had fallen head over heels for.
On the other hand, this was how all of Gladion's other relationships ended. The door shut on his face and his heart in his hands. He promised himself he would stop and give himself a break, but here he was.
He was in love once again. He told himself that Hau was different. He was, at first.
Gladion dropped his head without knocking. It was better to leave before Hau did. Another heartbreak would surely kill him. Break him. Hau wasn't different. He was, like everyone else, abandoning him.
Gladion grabbed his wrist to stop it from shaking. His heart was thudding in his chest, trying his best to hold his tears back.
Funny thing was, he and Hau weren't even dating. Hau just crawled himself too close and that Gladion kept holding on. Maybe he was being too clingy? Maybe Hau was tired of him?
Surely.
That was that. Gladion was done, done with love and done with falling apart. He torn his eyes from the door and hugged himself. Turning his back to the door, he let out a long sigh.
"Goodnight." He whispered, seemingly to nobody.
As Gladion took his first step down the porch stairs, there was a creak from behind him. He froze, one foot on the step and on still on the porch.
"D.D?" A smooth, low voice rang out. Gladion's nickname that Hau always used to call him.
....Hau.
Slowly, Gladion turned around to face the man, avoiding eye contact the best he could.
"Sorry if I woke you, Hau." His voice was quivering. He hoped that Hau couldn't see his tears under the dark sky.
Hau shook his head and answered, "No, you didn't. Why are you here."
Obviously, Gladion wasn't going to tell him. It hurt him too much to say it anyways.
Gladion just shook his head and continued down the steps of the porch. As he reached the bottom, he felt a hand grab his upper arm.
A warm, tan hand. "What is this about?" Hau said.
Fine, if he wanted answers, he'd get answers.
"Why are you avoiding me? I don't know what I did or what I said, but I am sorry." Silence.
Hau's hand left his arm as he whispered, "Gladion... you didn't-" he cut off his own sentence with a sigh.
Instead, he urged Gladion inside his house. With a bit of hesitance, he entered. Gladion was seated on the couch with Hau next to him.
They were quiet, both their eyes anywhere else but each other.
Finally, Hau broke the silence. "Glads, I wasn't trying to hurt you." That made Gladion's blood boil. It hurt him more than Hau could ever imagine.
"Then why. Tell me Hau, why? Every time I tried to talk to you, I was blocked out and tossed to the side like I meant nothing. Do I mean nothing to you, Hau?"
Hau shook his head, "It's not like that-"
"Not like what? Not like you could be seen with me? Of course, you don't want people to know that you have any sort of connection to me. It's all about you and what you care for, isn't it?"
Hau stared at him, hurt flashing over his face. Maybe Gladion was getting carried away, as usual. But he was tired of getting hurt. Tired of keeping everything inside.
"Listen, you're right. I was, am, being selfish. Though I was protecting you, but really I was protecting myself." The Kahuna muttered. Gladion didn't respond.
He continued, "If you want the truth, I'll give you the truth. I kept telling myself that I hated you, because I do. I hate your prefect face, your beautiful emerald eyes, your silky hair, your perfectly straight teeth, and your incredible brains. I hate how you beat me in everything, how you're much smarter and more perfect then me. I hate you."
I hate you. Gladion felt light headed. He was shaking.
"Honestly, fuck your prim and perfect life. Fuck your beautiful face and your beautiful body. I hate you. You are everything I'm not. Your life is perfect, you are perfect."
Gladion shook his head, everything becoming fuzzy. "I'm not perfect Hau, I never was. I want to be. So bad. But I can't, because no matter how much I try, I'm always alone. My sisters gone to Kanto, my mother is gone, my father is gone, and I have no one. Nobody stays long enough to understand that."
They were both quiet. The silence was loud. So, so loud.
"I love you."
I love you. Gladion was light headed.
"I'm not perfect Gladion. I'm afraid to hurt you. I'm afraid of you leaving, so I kept my distance. You're someone I can never have-"
"That's not true!" Hau was startled by the sudden force in Gladion's tone, "That's not.... Hau, listen. I've loved you for as long as I can remember. I know that was dangerous, but I didn't care. That was selfish of me. I could have ruined your image, your life."
In an instant, Hau's hands were on his face. Warm hands covered the blonde's red cheeks.
"I don't want to hurt you. My image doesn't matter, okay?" Hau told him, "I hate you because I love you. I shouldn't, but I do. I'm not good at love so I avoid it when I shouldn't. I'm sorry for everything i did to hurt you. That wasn't my intentions."
They stared into each others eyes for what felt like hours. The only sound was of the incoming rain tapping slowly on the window.
Hau finally removed his hands from Gladion's face. "Sorry if that's confusing." Hau chuckled, and Gladion followed.
Gladion took in a deep breath and turned to him.
"I love you."
Their eyes were locked together.
"I love you too, D.D."
Their lips were locked together.
The kiss was slow. It gave Gladion a warm feeling.
Hau forced his tongue into the blonde's mouth. He tasted of strawberries and a hint of cinnamon. Somehow a great combination.
Gladion sighed into his mouth and left Hau use him as he pleased. Once he left go on his mouth, he began kissing the edges of it. Slowly down to his neck.
He couldn't remember the last time he felt like this. The burning sensation in his chest. It was something he never wanted to let go of. Something he would die over and over again for.
It was a great feeling, to be loved. To know that someone really did care for you and would stay with you.
Hau's hands were wrapped around his waist, with Gladion's hands gripping onto his overgrown hair. Hau stopped nipping at his neck to rest his head on his shoulder.
Hau rinsed himself in the goth's scent. It was comforting. It felt oddly natural.
"I'm sorry for everything I've done to hurt you."
"You don't have to apologize."
"Yes I do."
"You're so stubborn."
Hau chuckled, his smile remaining on his face. Finally, he pulled back and stared into Gladion's eyes once again.
Before Hau could say anything, Gladion cut through with, "I forgive you, okay?"
"Yeah, okay." Hau kissed Gladion once again, "I love you. I'm in love with you, D.D."
"Love you too, Kahuna Hau."
Their lips were back once again. Strawberry, cinnamon. Gladion, Hau. Hate, love. Regret, forgiveness.
Hau wanted to be in denial. He wanted to hate Gladion. So bad.
Some things are just too perfect to hate.
He was too perfect to hate.