Hello =D This story is the second part of my fanfic 'Forbidden Apple'. If you haven't read the first part, .net/s/5729073/1/Forbidden_Apple_Part_One, then please do ^^. Quite a lot happens in Part One, which will be mentioned and sometimes explained in this part, but um... I'd be happy if you read Part One =)

So, this is part two, chapter one... I hope you enjoy it =) Please review, I'm happy to hear anything constructive. Thank you!!

Misaki

Disappointed. Slightly Confused. Reproachful. That was Takahiro's first stage.

Second stage- after a bit of consolation and a talk from Akihiko- Enthusiastic. Accepting. Compromising.

Now- third stage. Gone. Leg still broken. Completely and Utterly naïve about the pretty much scandalous relationship his best friend- Akihiko, teacher at my school and critically acclaimed author- and his little brother- me, Misaki Takahashi, student at my school and criticised adolescent are about to… yeuk, I'm actually going to say this… 'embark' on.

The boy sighed.

It's been four hours since Akihiko drove Takahiro and Manami, his wife, to the airport.

Misaki, sat in the high back room of the lecture room, rubbed out the eye he'd been trying and failing to sketch as he thought. His dark olive eyes were focused on the page, his chocolate brown hair flopping over his soft-featured face. A wash of regret was swarming through him- he hadn't seen much of his brother this week, aside from in a hospital bed and this morning, all-crutched-up in Akihiko's living room. He began to draw out another line, faintly and steadily.

Can't stop thinking about the possibility that something has happened. Another… something. Crash. Please no. Takahiro was in one about a week ago. Just like Mum and Dad… except he and his wife survived.

He gulped as he began to trace the iris of the eye on the corner of his exercise book. And then stared wide-eyed at the barely-finished sketch as he realised what he really. Really. Wanted.

Akihiko's arms… around him. To comfort him. To hug away the nightmares… Misaki's teeth gritted and he blushed, violently, recalling the way Akihiko had woken him up this morning, five and a half hours after the start of their slumber-dosed embrace.

"Anyone? Oh, come on, people. It's easy… No? Fine, you useless bunch… I'll pick at random." Misaki didn't hear the teacher.

Akihiko

Down the hallway, tie tightened, stride quicker, sunglasses off… in pocket... deep breath. Hand through hair. Click neck. Element of cool, Akihiko. Element of cool.

Akihiko Usami, tall and broad-shouldered with a thick head of silver hair, stood outside the lecture room. He'd just arrived at the High School, straight back from dropping Takahiro and his wife to the airport. His nerves had definitely calmed down in one way from his selfless taxi-service- now he knew they were there.

He'd taken a small stop back at his condo and eaten the sandwich Misaki had made him this morning. Now he was here, a file in his hands he needed to give to the teacher in here. He smirked, violet eyes narrowing as he bit the inside corner of his mouth- there was another reason he needed to go in here.

"A-Akihiko… sensei! Please, I need to get up-"
"By the feel of things you already a-"
"Oi! Don't touch me there!" And then a gasp and Misaki was curled, tightly, against Akihiko's solid torso, almost crippled with the tease-treatment Akihiko was setting upon him.

Akihiko's smirk widened, a show of his recollection of this morning's scene. He wondered just how much fun it would be to go in and see Misaki seeing him. A flashing of different possible facial expressions flitted through his head like a flipping picture book. He out-right grinned and knocked on the door.

"…It's pretty much the difference between banks now and banks… well, actually, one of you can tell me. Anyone? Oh, come on, people. It's easy… No? Fine, you useless bunch… I'll pick at random. Er, come in."

Akihiko pushed the door open.

Misaki

I don't think I want to be here… maybe going to America would have been a better idea? No! Don't be stupid… do what Akihiko said this morning… 'stick to it'. Yes. You've made your choice. No going back. First step in maturity. But if Akihiko starts to touch me like that again…

The door of the lecture room opened just as Misaki heard the teacher speak out his name.

"Er, come in. Takahashi, Misaki, maybe."

Oh, God. It'll be a message from the office… shit. Please no, please no, please no…

Misaki looked up, only to see the ten heads of the other students in here looking back at him. His teacher, Oraichi-sensei, a short man with prickly grey hair on his flat head, was staring at him like he was trying to force something out of him… He looks like he's trying to lay an egg… oh hold on, I know… An answer, perhaps?

"Err-" Misaki stopped as he realised who had come into the room.

"The file you asked for, Oraichi. It's all marked. You were right, it was spot on for what she's capable of."

Oraichi-sensei took the folder from Akihiko, without looking at him. But Misaki was definitely looking at him. He's safe… Thank you. He's safe, he's safe, he's safe.

Akihiko was wearing a long-sleeved shirt and a purple tie, along with black trousers and shoes. The shirt almost seemed invisible to Misaki now he knew the almost mouth-watering physique beneath... Misaki scorned himself as he realised he was swallowing the saliva forming in his mouth upon seeing the man. He focused on the outline of the sunglasses in Akihiko's pocket.

"Come on, Takahashi. I haven't heard a word from you since the beginning of term! Stop staring at Usami-sensei for an answer, boy! His presence should not distract you from this very, very blatant answer." Misaki partially glared at Akihiko as the man turned his head profile and clenched his jaw- suppressing a fucking smile, I bet. Bastard. I'll show him I'm not 'distracted by his presence'. But the answer was not 'blatant' to Misaki. He ogled the board, sure his expression was the same as he had just seen on his teacher's face.

"I-I don't kn-"

"You weren't paying attention, Takahashi. Ten minutes detention… though I don't know where you'll take it…" Misaki listened and watched with defeat as Oraichi-sensei prolonged his sentence, as an obvious call-for-a-favour to his fellow present colleague. Usami-sensei. What was I in a past life? A weed, maybe… that's why I keep getting thrown all these annoying, annoying, coincidental, bullshitty-

"Takahashi." Akihiko's voice was clipped and cold. Powerful… argh.

Misaki looked at Akihiko, his eyes partly pleading, partly angry. Misaki didn't even detect a playful pout on Akihiko's face, not a hint of a smug smirk. He looked serious.

"Outside my office, now. Face to the wall, no moving, ten minutes. You know the drill."

Misaki had to use every bit of his restraint not to gape at Akihiko or speed down those stairs and begin to hit him. Hard. But he knew he would get in worse trouble if he did either. If he moved now, the pain would be over and done with quicker. He didn't know, however, how long the humiliation was going to stick with him. Takahiro, fly back. Get me. For God's sake get me. I was drunk last night… a little bit… the alcohol affected my decision!

Grudgingly, Misaki slid his exercise book into his open backpack, slung the bag over his shoulder and walked down the stairs in the centre of the rows of levelled seats. The swooning expressions on the three female members of the class geared him up almost enough to make him retch. He reached the bottom of the stairs, ignoring the giggles and the taunting hiss of,

"Smooth, Taka-baka." The nickname did not help the situation one bit.

Akihiko

Taka-baka? Taka-bastard… How. Fucking. Dare. He. How foul were these kids? Argh, what I wouldn't give to get up there and strangle that wretch's neck… but I only want Misaki for the moment and for very different purposes. That dick will have to wait. He'll pay.

Misaki passed Akihiko and went through the door behind him. The waft of Misaki's scent, like freshly baked pastry and jasmine oil, rose his anticipation like fuel to a fire.

"Thank you, Usami-sensei." You're welcome, you over-confident, self-righteous prick… thank you for lending me Misaki.

"No problem at all." Akihiko gave a dutiful, icy glare to the triad of batting eyelids sitting in the front row and went out of the room.
He could see Misaki was already two metres ahead of him and past the first set of blue doors of this hallway- he wanted to keep his distance for now.

Misaki

Misaki got to the outside of Akihiko's office and turned to the wall, grudgingly consenting. The yellow wall an inch from his nose was… high-handedly yellow… the kind of yellow that thinks too much of itself. Eyes almost shut with his glaring, Misaki shrugged off his backpack and put it in front of him, tucking his hands into his green combats. Should never have gone into his stupid room last night. I knew it would only lead to trouble. He didn't even stand up for me when 'Taka-baka' was hissed out… maybe he didn't hear… or… maybe I'm making a bigger deal than necessary for a stupid nickname…

Misaki's thoughts muddled into incoherent murmurs as the scent of lavender and smoke- the latter being worryingly more prominent- brushed past him. Out of his pensiveness, Misaki turned his head to his right, wide-eyed… and watched Akihiko walk into his office, not even taking a glance at the him.

What? Why didn't he look at me? This morning he was all for paying attention to me and now it's like we're just teacher and student again… like nothing's happened… I mean I don't expect him to come hug me, but surely there should be a little bit of biased advantage on the detention-front... like there being no detention, for example. But, hey, wouldn't you be more annoyed if he started to treat you differently?

Misaki looked back at the smug yellow wall and persevered in his glaring. He was struck by the comparison of being here now and being here five days ago, when Usami Akihiko- Lord, Novelist and specialist tutor- first spoke to him… minutes lately he had smacked into the wall next to the man's office whilst gawking at him like some stupid, over-eager, love-struck, fluffified fangirl… which I am not!

Even with this ounce of nostalgia, however, Misaki could not budge the sting of the fact that Akihiko had not stood up for him or at least told off whoever had called him a 'Taka-baka'… but had very clearly stated, on his first night in Akihiko's home, that for Takahiro '…I stood up for him against the assholes at school…'.

Akihiko

Time does seem to go at a laughably merciless pace when you're waiting for something, doesn't it? Well, only one more minute to go and I'll bring him in here, explain… maybe I wont explain with words though… hmm…

It had been four minutes since Akihiko had come into his office. In those two hundred and forty seconds, he had sat in his chair, legs on his desk and his thumb under his teeth- biting the nail.

Sixty more seconds of patience? No way.

Swiftly swinging his legs down from his desk, Akihiko strode to his door, opened it and leaned against the door-frame. The sight of Misaki, determinedly staring at the wall in front of him, almost made him laugh but he managed to keep as minimal a smile on his face as possible.

"You can come in now, Takahashi." The scowl Misaki directed deliberately past Akihiko's shoulder almost made the man flinch, but he stood still as Misaki picked up his bag and stormed into his office.

"Take a seat." Misaki complied. A tiny bit worried that he might have taken the game too far, Akihiko walked over to his chair and sat opposite Misaki, this time keeping his legs under the desk. "I can't believe you didn't know the answer, Misaki. It was so obvious!" Akihiko jested in an attempt to brighten the situation. The joke didn't seem to get the desired response however. Face shadowed due to the large frame of shelving behind Akihiko, Misaki just folded his arms and glowered down at the floor, which was littered with unmarked papers and open books.

I've hurt him… damn… Gritting his teeth, Akihiko sighed. Then, he stood up and walked round to Misaki, bending down on one knee and trying to look directly into his eyes. The emotion in Misaki's eyes was one of hurt and it did not surprise Akihiko as much as it ought have that this hurt him in favour. His heart was swelling a little bit with each beat as he looked at the boy- he was entranced with his every motion. His arms were hungry for him again, lips tingling with want.

"Misaki…" Akihiko said, in a low voice. "I wanted to ask you in here anyway… I wanted to see you… wanted to-"

Misaki

No, do not look at him, do not look at him. Don't pay attention to that voice when you should be thinking of Takahiro- how is he, I wonder, in that cast… I'm happy Manami is with… lavender, deep, velvet voice…

"I wanted to ask you in here anyway…" Don't listen, don't listen, don't listen! "I wanted to see you…" He thinks he's got an automatic booty-call now, doesn't he! Well, I didn't sign up for this, not for what he's expecting, not now, not- "…wanted to…" Misaki managed to swerve away before Akihiko's lips could press against his own.

"No!" Misaki cried, still sat on his seat but as far away as he could be from the still kneeling man. "You can't just expect this of me! It's like all you want me for is this! First this morning, waking up-"

"You didn't seem to mind it so-"

"How could I have! But I'm more than just a booty-call and… Don't smirk at me just because I said 'booty', I can say 'booty'!" Akihiko cocked his head to the side, still smirking. "Stop it! I'm serious! You keep acting like you want to be something serious for me and yet you don't even stand up for me, like you said you did for Takahiro!" Arrgh! You shouldn't be saying this crap, it's too early, he probably only ever wanted you so he could release his over-active testosterone. But wait, it's not like he hasn't ever stood up for you… he kicked the shit out of that guy who almost crashed into us three days ago… You idiot, Misaki. Ahh, head hurting with the overwhelming intensity of all this, quickly change the subject!

Misaki swallowed, embarrassed, and caught sight of the familiar expression of boredom on Akihiko's face. Misaki moved himself so he was sitting in the chair normally, staring down at his lap. "H-How is Takahiro?"

Silence. Akihiko was frozen.

Then, fluid and unaffected, Akihiko rose and went back to his chair. No attention to Misaki, he grabbed a nearby cigarette packet, slid one out and put one in his mouth. The focus of his large, amethyst eyes on the end of the cigarette as he lit it awed and aroused Misaki until he shook himself out of it as the man spoke. He inhaled the smoke and spoke without letting any out.

"He's fine." He exhaled, blowing the smoke into Misaki's face. Misaki gagged. "Both he and Manami were a tad stressed about driving the car, I have no idea how Takahiro managed to drive that new car over to the apartment last night… he bought it very quickly, well, Manami must have done. Just like him to deny fear to those he cares for…" Is this him trying to make me jealous?

Akihiko inhaled the smoke again and once more blew it out to Misaki, who spluttered again.

"You shouldn't smoke! Especially not in front of a student, set a good example!" Akihiko blew out a laugh along with his vapour, tapping the end of the cigarette and watching the ash fall to the foil, make-shift ashtray on his desk.

"What, because you'd go out and start smoking? Unlikely, you've never done anything remotely rebellious or dangerous in your life." That hurt. You bastard. You're just out to taunt and tease me. Misaki puffed up his chest.

"This isn't about me. You should stop smoking, it's bad for you."

"It's the only thing I can suck on for the moment."

"You pervert! You bloody perver-"

"Oh calm down, you repressed prude," Akihiko interrupted, sourly. "I wasn't talking about down there… your lips will do for now." Misaki was speechless for a moment but, as the bell drilled outside, he managed to find words enough for his exit.

"I've got to go to class." Misaki got up and walked out of the room. Akihiko didn't try to stop him.

Akihiko

And so it has begun... hmm... he probably has cold feet... but even so... Akihiko took one last suck of his cigarette and stubbed it out. He knew the boy was worried about his brother and he had every right to be. But was it possible that so soon Misaki was going off the idea of being with Akihiko- attempting a relationship?

Akihiko leaned his forehead on his index and middle finger, elbow on his desk. He was frustrated with Misaki's blindness to what Akihiko wanted with him and it was certainly more than a booty-call. A part of him was hurt by Misaki's lack of evident thought on past things Akihiko had done for him; accepting him into his home on Takahiro's request after the crash; hanging up those goddamn flash-cards; looking after him when he tried, pathetically, to turn to alcohol. But mostly, I seduced him and now he's stuck here and he doesn't want to be... I'm already wasting his life... well, no. I'll make it worthwhile for him... but what can I do now?