Zebra Route: Part 2

It's been a few months and Komatsu has gotten to see a whole different side of Zebra. On the inside he is a good and kind person but just doesn't know how to interact with people. But Komatsu has helped Zebra handle his anger a bit better. He still scares people, but he has gotten some new friends that weren't just his brothers. Surprisingly, he and Brunch get along well; it doesn't seem so when they yell at each other, but they understand one another unlike the rest of the school. But there was something Komatsu felt Zebra was hiding from him. He tried talking to the other Kings, but they wouldn't tell him. "I wonder why they won't tell me…." Komatsu, Melk, and Nonon were in their class learning how to sharpen knives and which knives to use for which type of food. "It's probably something simple, I wouldn't think bad of it." Melk tried to reassure her friend, but some other students overheard their conversation and put their two cents in the manner. "I heard he kills people for the Head Master hence why they call him The Devil. They say he eats the flesh of those he killed and buries the remains on campus." The chef frowns almost as if he was glaring at them. "Zebra-san would never kill anyone; scaring and beating people up yes but not killing them." The guys laughed and brushed it off continuing their gossip.

"How would you know? Maybe you're his next kill and take your life when you least expect it~" There was a sudden loud slap filling the room. Everyone looked over to see their teacher, Mr. Starjun, slammed a book over the boys heads, "You can save your gossip in detention hall." The boys were about to complain but shuts up when Starjun gave them a dark glare. "That includes you Mr. Komatsu for interrupting class." Komatsu sighs heavily as class went back to session. After class everyone was leaving as the two boys and Komatsu got notes for detention. "Hey if you guys see any of the Kings can you tell them I won't be making it for lunch." The girls nodded as their friend went to his doom. The three boys enter the room and sitting at the desk was Manson, the PE teacher. He was also the detention teacher during lunch break, "Alright boys you know the rules: no phones or electronics." They all handed their phones to him and sat down at the desks. Komatsu sat near the windows to look outside when he found his friends and the Kings together. All of the sudden, there were loud steps storming down the hall towards the classroom as the door slams open revealing a very pissed Zebra. "What the!? Zebra-san what are you doing here? Did you get in trouble too?" Without saying a word the tall man walks over to the chef picking him up and throwing him over his shoulders. "What! Zebra-san what are you doing!?" Ignoring the chef the hunter walks over to the teacher holding out his hand. "Phone…..now." And without hesitation Manson gave the phone to the hunter and they both left the room. "Hey how come he gets to leave!?"

"Do you seriously want to face an angry Zebra and die?"

Zebra walks back to his usual spot under the tree still holding the chef over his shoulder. "Zebra-san put me down! I have to serve my detention!" The chef protests hitting the shoulder, but the hunter didn't budge one bit. When they finally arrived at the tree Zebra sat down crossed legged and puts Komatsu on top of his lap. The chef blushes brightly on his cheeks but feels safe for some reason. "Uh…. thank you for getting me out of there Zebra-san." The brute looks down with a smirk as he takes out a bento box. "Feed me Chef," he demanded but Komatsu wasn't going to complain at all. The chef grabs the box and starts feeding the giant, lunch passed fast and the bell rang throughout the campus. "I guess lunch is over…. hey Zebra-san can I ask you something?" Zebra looks down with a raised brow, "What is it Chef?" Komatsu turns himself around so he was facing the other with a blush on his face. "Well…... Winter Formal is coming up soon and was wondering…...well if you would come with me?" There was silence in the air for a solid minute, just when the chef was about to give up Zebra spoke softly. "If you make me the best meal after…. I don't see why not…..." Komatsu's face light up like a Christmas tree and with the brightest smile he has ever given.

'I have made a horrible mistake…'

Komatsu was nervous as hell about the dance. He asked Sunny if he could help him pick out a tux for the dance. "Are you going with anyone Sunny-san?" Sunny nods his head as he fixes the tie on the small chef. "A sweet girl name Rosetta asked me, plus there might be something there…." Komatsu gasps with a smile hugging his pretty friend around his waist. "Im glad you found someone Sunny-san." Sunny looks down at the chef with a sweet smile patting his head gently. "Matsu do you like Zebra?" That question threw the chef off making him blush on his cheeks and looking down at the floor. "Is it that obvious…...?" Sunny chuckles softly shaking his head slowly trying to reassure his friend.

"It's not too obvious but if you pay enough attention it's easy to see," he replies seeing the blush get even more brighter. "I don't know why but… something about him just gets to me. Like he looks so scary and acts mean but he is a good person that is just misunderstood." Sunny smiles patting the chef's head again with his elegant fingers. "Even though I hate him he is my older brother and knowing someone else cares for him is good. Please take care of that gorilla okay?" Komatsu was shocked but was happy at the same time to get permission from one of the Kings.

"I promise!"

Winter Formal arrived and everyone was excited. The girls were in nice dresses while the guys wore suits. Komatsu walks up to the large gym where the dance was being held at. The chef looks around to try to find Zebra, but he wasn't in sight. "Hey Komatsu! Over here!" Komatsu looks around and found Toriko and the others at the door. "Hey! Have you guys seen Zebra-san anywhere?" He walks up to the group as they looked at each other shrugging their shoulders. "I saw him here, but he shouldn't be too far away." Amina, Coco's date, spoke up first with Rosetta nodding in agreement. "We all came here together so he can't be hiding anywhere. He was excited to see you too." That comment made his heart skip a beat and made him smile to himself. "He will show up don't worry Matsu, this is his first social gathering, so he is a bit nervous." Sunny did have a point, this was Zebra's first gathering so he probably isn't used to loud noises. They all head into the gym just as the music start playing. Everyone was enjoying themselves and Komatsu was just hanging out with Melk and Nonon with no sign of Zebra still. "I wonder if Zebra-san is okay…. he still hasn't shown up." Komatsu was starting to have second thoughts about the man. Maybe he ditched him and the others were just covering him. But that isn't Zebra….he would never back down especially if he is getting something out of it. So what was keeping him away…..as if on cue the door slams open catching everyone's attention.

"Someone help please!" A girl cried out with her dressed ripped apart and tears running down her face. "What happened!?" Toriko ran over covering the girl with his jacket to keep her cover from the rest of the school. "I-I was being molested by five drunk guys, but Zebra came in to save me. But those guys had knives on them…" Without thinking Komatsu ran out of the gym and he lets his feet take him wherever they were going. He doesn't know where he was going but he knew he had to find Zebra fast. Something loud exploded near the back of the university; Komatsu knew that had to be Zebra. He ran towards the explosion and when he got there he froze in place. There were dead bodies everywhere with a bloody Zebra standing in the middle of the scene. "Z-Zebra-san?" The hunter looks over to the chef's direction and what Komatsu saw was a beast. His eyes were dilated with a large wound on his left cheek that reached all the way to his ear. He had stab and cut wounds covering his body. Zebra opened his mouth to say something, but he fell to the ground instead bleeding on the dirt.

"Zebra!"

A month has passed since the incident and Zebra was in a coma. All over the news said that five students were killed by Zebra but he wasn't charged for first degree murder. Apparently, the girl he saved was the mayor's daughter and, so he pardoned Zebra with any charges that were on him and he even called him a hero. The girl's name was Mio and she came with Komatsu to visit Zebra every day to check up on him. "I hope he wakes up soon I want to thank him personally." Komatsu nodded as he looks at his sleeping friend. The wounds weren't serious but the one on his cheek was and there was no way it would heal properly. Mio left the room to get food for them leaving Komatsu alone in the room. "Zebra…." Komatsu moved closer to the sleeping hunter sitting on the edge of the bed. "You went this far… and now look at you….. please wake up." He moves closer and rest his head gently against the broad chest. There was a small groan and the chef shot his head up to see Zebra's eyes open slowly. He looks around taking in his surroundings, "Your too loud Chef and my head hurts…." Komatsu sits up straight as the other sits up slowly wincing softly to himself; Komatsu lets the tears run down his face hugging the other around his neck. "Oi! I'm alive so don't cry alright!" Komatsu pulls back and almost glares at the brute before hitting his chest.

"How can I not!? I almost lost you and your saying to brush it off!" Zebra rolled his eyes sitting up a bit more as he leans into the pillows behind him. "It was nothing, those cocky bastards were being annoying and I took care of them." This made Komatsu even more angry gripping his pants tightly. "For once can you not act before thinking! You need to be more considerate of others! What if you didn't make it!? How would your brothers feel! How would I feel when I finally realized that I love you!" Komatsu realized what he had just said but it was too late to take it back. Zebra's eyes widen in shock with his mouth slightly opened, they stared at each other for what seems forever before Komatsu got up and ran off. Zebra tried to get up but there was a shot of pain and it kept him bed rested. "Chef…."

Zebra finally got out of the hospital and when he got back to school everyone greeted him with smiles and cheers. Everyone talked to him and some of the teachers were even there to greet the hunter, but Zebra was looking for one specific person. Zebra looked everywhere in the school but couldn't find the person. "Where the hell is he?" He growls until he saw two familiar faces walking straight up to them. "Oi you two, have you seen Chef?" Melk and Nonon looked at each other before looking back at the man shaking their heads. "He didn't show up to class at all. I think he skipped school today." Melk replied making the man growl in annoyance again, he had no time to be looking for Komatsu. "If you want to you can go to his apartment?" That caught the giant's attention, "Perfect now where does he live?"

Komatsu stayed at his apartment writing down a few new recipes. He didn't want to go to school knowing Zebra will be there. He couldn't face the giant brute not after confessing his feelings to him. He felt so embarrassed and shameful he knew he could never look at Zebra in the eyes ever again. The chef flops onto the couch staring up at the ceiling. "I wonder how he is doing…. especially that scar on his face…." Instinctively he reaches up to touch his left cheek where Zebra will never look the same ever again. He will look more of a monster than a human and can never smile again. Zebra never smiles to begin with and the chef will never see a smile from him which made him sad. Just as when Komatsu was going to take a nap his door knocked, catching him off guard he fell to the floor face first. "Ow….I'm coming hold on." Komatsu gets up and walks to the door opening it up. "How can I-" He stopped midsentence when he looks up to see the last person he ever wanted to see. "Zebra-san!? What are you doing here and how did you find my apartment!?" The hunter smirks shoving himself into the small apartment making the chef step back to give him room. Komatsu was about to run but Zebra caught him by the shirt lifting him up so they were eye to eye.

"You weren't at school today whats up with that?" Komatsu didn't say a word looking away to avoid contact which pissed the hunter even more. He walks to the couch pinning the smaller man down hovering over him. "Start talking Chef, why weren't you at school?" Komatsu tried to pull away, but Zebra was too heavy plus he had him stuck under his grip. He had to say it there was no way out of it now. "Because I didn't want to see you….." Tension filled the air and it was so thick it could be cut with a knife. "I…I feared that you hated me after I confessed to you. I ruined our friendship because of my feelings….so I-" He was cut off yet again but this time with a large pair of lips slammed on top of his. The chef's face went completely red and he reaches up to grip the shirt tightly with his tiny hands. He tried to push him away but there was no way with the strength he had especially against someone as strong as Zebra. The kiss was too much for him to handle plus all the blood was going down south between his legs. Zebra deepens the kiss and his hand moves to the hips pulling the chef closer to his chest.

After a few minutes of making out they parted to catch some air their lips not too far away from each other. "I…I don't understand…." Komatsu whispers against Zebra's lips looking up to meet with the brown eyes that were clouded with something inside of them. Zebra groans and grabs the small hand shoving it down to his large bulge. "Do I have to say anything Chef?" Komatsu shakes his head slowly keeping his eyes on Zebra's eyes. If there was one thing Komatsu will admit is that he loves Zebra's eyes. Even though his face and voice may not give it away but his eyes say everything. They show he cares, it shows his pain, and most definitely shows his love.

As they say: the eyes are the windows to the person's soul.

Ever since that day Zebra and Komatsu have been dating. Mio was nice with them and supported their relationship completely. The school heard about them and accepted the relationship as well with open arms. The rest of the school year went smoothly except with a few fights here and there but besides that it's been perfect. Summer came along and the Kings invited Komatsu to join them to their summer home on a private island. Komatsu never traveled out of the town so he was excited for the trip.

As they arrive at the island everyone did their own things but Zebra took Komatsu to the beach to spent some time alone. "Whoa! The water is so clear I can see the sand!" Komatsu runs into the water splashing and Zebra smirks keeping his distance from the water. "Ya this place is far away from the city so nothing can contaminate it." The chef kicks the water laughing and smiling to himself enjoying the warmth of the clear water. "Come on Zebra the water is great!" The hunter shakes his head making the chef pout his lips. "Oh come on don't be a big baby!" Komatsu had learned one thing from dating Zebra is that insulting him gets him to do things. Zebra blinks before he smirks taking off his shirt and shoes. "Don't get cocky with me Chef or it will cost you." Komatsu sticks out his tongue and by the time he opens his eyes Zebra was already in front of him picking him up to throw him into the water. He surfaces coughing up water out of his lungs glaring at the taller man. Zebra laughs but felt water splashed on his face looking over to see Komatsu laughing at him now. Zebra charges up at the chef picking him up as he walks further into the water having it up to his chest. Komatsu holds onto Zebra so that he doesn't drift away. "Never get cocky around me Chef," Zebra repeated himself as Komatsu smiles up at him."I know but it was still fun to tease you though…." The smaller man lost his smile to a frown as he looks away. "Can you call me by my name?" The question caught him off guard but Zebra smirks leaning down to whisper into the ear. "I love you Komatsu and my heart belongs to you." Those soft words brought tears to the chef's eyes and he kissed the other deeply on the lips. The two stayed like that for a while before they pull away to catch their breath. "I love you too Zebra and my heart belongs to you too." The hunter smirks once more and kisses Komatsu back.

'So this is love…..I like it. '

The End