Archive of Our Own

It was something that Masato did not take pride in. He was someone who could Charm and Transfigure, who could Conjure and Divine, could come up with Potions in the blink of an eye, could label all the constellations in Astronomy, but if there was one thing that he could not do, it was to defend himself against Ren.

The Slytherin had been his childhood friend a long, long time ago. To Masato, it probably hadn't been that long ago, since he still found himself wondering what would be different if he and Ren had not drifted apart, if they had been childhood friends and continued said friendship instead of having broken apart.

Would they be in the same House? Would Masato have joined Slytherin instead, despite having the personality of a Ravenclaw? Would Masato himself have chosen to be a Slytherin, just to be with his Ren nii-chan? Would Ren have joined Masato instead? Would the both of them, despite being in different house, still be the best of friends, still went to Hogsmede village together, still ate together, still played in the snow together?

Would their friendship have become something more?

He always told himself not to dwell on the past, because it did nothing for him. But he couldn't help it, not when Ren was there, so close, so mind numbingly close, if he just stretched his hand out, he would be able to touch Ren. But he was so far away as well, so infuriatingly far, surrounded by girls with their long hair and demure smiles and the way that they giggled.

He was so deep in it, it hurt. Not that he would ever admit it. 

But. But. If there was one thing that Hijirikawa Masato had never done in his entire life, it was to do something for himself. Since he was a child, his life had been controlled by his father, who told him what to do and when to do it, who told him that these things were right and these things were wrong, who told him to stay traditional and to stay away from the Jinguuji boy, he's not good for you.

By the gods, if Masato didn't regret it.

He was a Ravenclaw. Ravenclaws were supposed to be smart, intelligent and quick-minded, not like Hufflepuffs who were the ones who followed their emotions and their heart, but Masato wanted this, and if he didn't do it, if he didn't get it, he knew he would regret this for the rest of his life, and he didn't want that.

So Masato received the password from one of the younger students for the Slytherin dorm and walked in, head held high and ignoring the stares of all the Slytherin students who had found a Ravenclaw in their common room. He continued, his passive stare stopping most from continuing to gape at him, and let himself into Ren's room.

If there was one thing that Ren did not understand, it was Hijirikawa Masato.

Ren himself was not an honour student. He could be if he tried, if he wanted to, but he didn't. He hadn't come to Hogwarts of his own choice, had wanted to attend Durmstrang. He'd been sent to England's school for Magic on the terms that he would be the Jinguuji family's poster boy, one that would connect England to Japan, to allow the Jinguuji family to have more connections, reach greater heights.

It was not his own choice.

Imagine his shock when he found Masato here, his childhood friend whom he had lost a long, long time ago. Perhaps it wasn't such a long time ago, but Ren had told himself not to look back and regret, not to look back on why they had drifted apart less he find that he blamed both himself and Masato not for having tried to continue their friendship despite their families, lest he began to hate Masato. He couldn't have that, now could he?

He wanted to talk to Masato, wanted to start their friendship anew, wanted the both of them to be friends again. He hadn't heard the name Ren nii-chan, the adoration pass Masato's lips in years, and now that they were both here, with no family and no parents, nothing to hold him nor Masato back, he'd thought that maybe he could start their friendship again. 

But his Masato, his dear, quiet Masato was so far away. It was as if he didn't wish to talk to Ren, as though their friendship, their childhood and their laughter had never happened. Ren found himself annoyed, angered even, at Masato's attitude, and threw himself into what he did best: flirtations and meaningless words to girls who fell for it.

Of course, there were those who were not affected by his charms. For him, he found those girls much more admirable than those who threw themselves at his feet, who would throw themselves off the Astronomy Tower if he asked.

So imagine his shock when he looked up from his magazine - single room, courtesy of his family's riches, he was pretty sure Masato had the same - to see none other than Masato. Masato, who was staring at him with terrible, almost frightening intensity, who was walking towards him with strength and determination, and Ren's breath escaped him, because gods, Masato looked so beautiful like this.

Then Masato stopped in front of his bed and climbed on, straddling Ren's thighs and pinning the strawberry blond against the headboard of his bed, lips parting and eyes glinting. When "Ren nii-chan" passed Masato's lips, something that had been stirring in Ren for a long time burst into life, and he held Masato to him, kissed him, loved him, marked him, had the both of them gasping for breath and something more intimate, something like fire and ice and it was painful but they craved it even more.

Masato. His Masato.