Love/Hate (Lemon GarouxReader 🍋)

Bitter/Sweet

On Tuesday, the day before your trip, it quickly becomes apparent to all your teachers that absolutely zero work will be done as the excitement level starts to reach its peak. Even Mr. Takase has some trouble corralling you all into completing your physics exercises which is really saying something.
They give up trying, handing out busy-work worksheets and just ask you to keep the noise to a minimum while they get on with other things.
You swap seats with Garou, who is only too happy to get further away from Tsukiko, and talk make-up and other fun things with your best friend, your minds already a day ahead, visualizing all the amazing fun you're about to have.

"Alright then, go home and pack," you say to Garou as you get closer and closer to your building that afternoon, "and I'll see you after."
He gives you a content shrug and saunters off.

You've hardly put your things down and changed out of your uniform when he appears at your window, silent as a cat, his bag slung over one shoulder.
You're too used to this by now to get a full fright but it still gives you a soft, little startle.
"Already?" you ask, a little incredulous as he jumps down into your room and throws his bag, which seems suspiciously light, in the corner.
"It's only three days," he says, confused as to what he could possibly need for such a short time.
"Of course," you reply. "How silly of me. It's too easy for guys. Just throw in a pair of socks and some boxers and you're good to go."
"Who said anything about boxers?" he grins at you. And anyway, some of his stuff that he hasn't packed yet is here after all...
"I'm...not even going to answer that," you say just as you hear Ryo's excited knock on the door and rush to answer it.
"Onee-chan!" he rushes in, almost bowling you over as he throws his arms around your waist. You can't help but think how fast he's growing. "I won't see you for three days!" he says as he finally lets go.
"I know!" you say. "I'm going to miss you!"
"I'm going to miss you too," he says very emphatically, making sure that you're sure of how much he loves you before changing his tune, puppy dog eyes in full force. "Will you bring me back something?" he asks, his tone a little too innocent, avoiding your gaze.
You laugh and pat his head.
"Of course I will."
"Is Garou onii-san here?" he looks up at you eagerly.
"Garou onii-san!" you call out towards the hallway, as Ryo takes your hands and swings them around, tries to climb all over you like he did when he was a toddler. "Are you here, Garou onii-san?" you call out again.
There's a silent pause.
"No," comes the clear, short reply.
"Garou onii-saaaaan!" Ryo's eyes light up with excitement. "Let's keep building the castle before you leave!" He lets go of your hands and almost sprints towards your room, dragging Garou, who makes a big show of looking very reluctant and forced into it, out into the living room.
And you have to hand it to Garou. He's a very good actor. But, his resistance, that's all it is. An act. You smile secretly to yourself as you leave them to it and go back into your room to empty your school bag.

"What are you gonna do on your trip?" Ryo looks from you to Garou at the dinner table as he plucks out a piece of chicken from his bowl.
"No idea," Garou says, and here's that shrug again, much more interested in the meal right in front of him than in any of the potential activities of the next three days. And anyway, he wasn't listening in class when Yukimura went over it all. He was lost in his own thoughts. His very obscene, wonderful, lust-filled thoughts, weaving together memories of you and him with some new ideas, creating ever more exciting fantasies and experiences to enjoy at a later date.
"We're going to go to the National Museum," you say, scooping up some noodles very carefully, "and the aquarium. We're going to watch a traditional tea ceremony too!" you say. Having never been to one yourself you can't wait to watch the elegant tradition.
"Eh?" Garou looks up at you.
"Tea ceremony?" you repeat.
"Really?" he says. This is news to him.
"Yes?" you confirm.
He rolls his eyes. Bloody hell. Sitting still and silently is not his forte. It's not that he can't. He can do it for hours if he absolutely has to, like a wolf waiting for its prey but for this? Ugh. Maybe the two of you could slip out for some private sightseeing instead? Or in the worst case, guess he'll just have to take a trip down smutty memory lane again. You can see his expression change from annoyance to a mischievous glint in his eye, a smile spreading across his face as he already begins to envision it.
"What?" you ask.
He suddenly remembers where he is.
"Nothin'," he says, his concentration turning back to his dinner, but the smile creeps back up on him despite his best efforts.