Season 1, somewhere in the Shinjuku arc. Mild spoilers for Gekkouin's true form in the manga. This is a gift for my little sis. ^^ Enjoy these April Fool's shenanigans!

Sweet Surprises

Yoichi had always looked forward to the first of April. Like it did for many others in Japan, April 1st meant the start of the new calendar, new resolutions, a new beginning.

That was before he met the others. Before the vampire war, before his sister was murdered.

Repeat: Before he met the others.

Yoichi Saotome slammed the door shut, wildly glancing for anything — a desk! Yoichi rushed to grab it, barricading himself inside the classroom.

"Oh, Yoichiii!" Shinoa sang on the other side. She rapped her knuckles on the wood, peeking in through the window.

Yoichi dropped to his knees, in full lockdown-mode. Internal threat! Stay away from the windows, hide in the corner, and don't make a sound …

"Let me in, Yoichiii!"

Not. A. Sound.

A click. The desk blocking the door screeched as it was tossed aside by a terrible force. Shadowy claws protruded from the monster's scythe while she stepped forward, a huge smile on her face.

Yoichi, having nowhere else to go, braced himself behind the teacher's desk. "St-stay away from me!"

The unholy abomination lifted her hand. The shadow claws ripped the teacher's desk from Yoichi's grip and flipped it in the air.

"AAH!" Yoichi scrambled backwards, the desk falling —

"April Fool's!" Shinoa cheered, the hunk of metal and wood centimeters away from crushing him.

I almost died. Heart pounding, Yoichi lay frozen on the tile, catching his breath. Sweat dripped from his temples.

Amendment: Yoichi hated April 1st.

Shinoa made her demon put the desk down with a — paralyzing — thud. Shinoa happily twirled her weapon, which shrunk to the size of a key, tucked it away, and dusted her hands off.

"Ha! Look at your face! You're so cute when you're in mortal peril!" Shinoa giggled, a purple lock of her hair swinging free as she leaned closer and extended a hand to help him.

"Who — who the heck does that?" Yoichi attempted to get up on his own, but his limbs were trembling. He collapsed again, finally accepting her hand.

Shinoa gently pulled him to his feet. "Everyone, silly. It's April Fool's."

"W-well, I don't celebrate it."

"Boo." Shinoa pouted, looking sad for precisely one second before she stuck her tongue out and winked. "Too bad, though! You're still helping me prank Yuichiro!"

"N-no, I'm not —"

Shinoa grabbed his shoulders from behind and pushed him out of the classroom. Yoichi was really in no state to resist.

And that was how Yoichi ended up in a dress. Bound by the wrists and ankles. At a tea-party table. In front of Kimizuki.

Who also happened to be in a dress.

"Shinoa!" Kimizuki barked, struggling so hard his chair started tipping over. Panic flashed on his face. Kimizuki vigorously swung the other way, causing the chair to tilt even more, and then he was dramatically wiggling in every direction so he wouldn't fall. "SHINOA!"

"Ah, ah!" Shinoa took her time ambling over, resting her hand on Kimizuki's chair to steady him. "Careful there. Get too excited, and you won't make it to dessert."

"I hate you so much."

"Ahaha!"

"This is harassment —"

Shinoa shook her head. "Tsk, tsk. You are on a wonderful date with the love of your life, Yoichette."

I'm going to die here. Yoichi turned away, his cheeks burning.

"I HOPE YOU DIE A PAINFUL DEATH."

"Kimi-chan! How could you?" She faked a sob, moving to pet Yoichi's curls. "And here your beloved is, fluffy and adorable and blushing all for you!"

Help me. Oh, please help me … Yoichi whimpered softly, which only seemed to make things worse. Shinoa cackled like a witch.

"I bet Mitsuba is pulling some sorry stunt trying to prank Yuichiro first! Sad for her when I completely annihilate her attempts with this!" Shinoa monologued, spinning a ballerina dance across the floor. "Yuu's face will be priceless! Not even Guren can top this one!"

Helpmehelpmehelpmeplease … Yoichi squeezed his eyes shut.

If I could be anywhere but here …

Gekkouin …

"Hey."

x-x-x-x

Yoichi was free. His hands rubbed each other, wrists finally unimpeded. He stretched, kept his eyes closed, enjoying the moment of peace.

"Hey." The voice again. Gekkouin's, his true voice, a deep and sultry rumble.

Yoichi opened his eyes. His childhood bedroom — "G-gekkouin! Ah!" Yoichi quickly turned away, his face on fire.

Gekkouin simply made the room warp, his muscular form sprawled comfortably across the mattress, his usual leather jacket hanging low across his shoulders. "Like what you see?"

Right. Right, of course, Gekkouin wouldn't give Yoichi a break. No one would. This has to be the worst holiday ever.

"You're hurting my feelings, Yoichi. I tried so hard for you," Gekkouin said, his horns gleaming in the low light. There were suddenly candles everywhere.

"I … I'm sorry, Gekkouin," Yoichi said. He was back to his usual self, green eyes wide and innocent. "I'm just not feeling the greatest right now, that's all …"

"Absolutely. I understand that." Gekkouin slowly licked his lips.

Yoichi had half a mind to look away, but a flash of annoyance surfaced in his chest. "What's this about?"

"Maybe I think you're hot stuff and want to eat you," Gekkouin said with a smirk. "Let me make you mine."

"My body is mine and no one else's."

Gekkouin seemed to grow more interested, his gaze sparking with hunger. It made Yoichi feel vulnerable, if only for a moment. "Oh," Gekkouin said, "I don't just mean it that way."

"Wh-which way?"

"You know. The way you're thinking about right now." Gekkouin dragged a hand across his toned arm, his jacket falling off one side of him. His bare chest was displayed for Yoichi, and Yoichi couldn't help the way his eyes followed his movements. "The way you're thinking; that's the way."

Way … Huh? "Way" what? Yoichi's mouth went dry. Nervousness made his insides feel shaky. "U-uh …"

Gekkouin arched his back, watching Yoichi through lidded eyes.

"Y-you're not acting like yourself, Gekkouin …"

"Your desire is delicious."

Yoichi clapped his hands over his eyes. "I am not in the mood for this. Gekkouin. Please stop joking around."

The glow of the candles faded away. Yoichi's eyelids went from orange-red at the edges to black. He put one hand down, then the other. The bed was where it usually was, but Gekkouin was standing now, his jacket properly on his shoulders.

"Thank you," Yoichi said, insides starting to calm. That was — until Gekkouin stepped forward.

"So, you want to take it off for me?"

"No! Why — why would I want to do that?" Yoichi backed away from the demon, hitting a wall that hadn't been there before. Trapped again.

"Aw, afraid of recognizing your own needs?" Gekkouin cooed, catching Yoichi's wrist in his half-gloved hand. "I can help you, Yoichi … I really can."

They were pressed together now, Yoichi immobilized while Gekkouin stepped even closer. Yoichi put a hand between them, his fingertips brushing the ridges of Gekkouin's abs. That blazing embarrassment returned, raging through him.

"H-hey, stop that! It's not funny!"

"Yoichi," Gekkouin murmured into his ear, his hot breath sending chills to his core. "I don't like weaklings or cowards. But you're not a coward … are you?"

Yoichi forced himself to look into Gekkouin's eyes and responded with a confident shake of his head. "I … refuse to be afraid anymore. I'm going to take revenge for my sister. I'm going to protect my friends."

"Those friends that almost killed you and are now trying to humiliate you?" Gekkouin said with a smirk, fangs glinting.

"Y-yeah, I guess they're jerks sometimes." Yoichi laughed, easing up just a little despite Gekkouin's face being so close to his. "Right now, I kind of hate Shinoa. I really didn't want anything to do with April Fool's. It's so stupid."

"I agree," Gekkouin said, chuckling. Yoichi could feel the demon's stomach rumble with his laugh. It sent more waves of heat through him, but he couldn't step away …

"Er — so why are we um, standing like this?"

"Because you want me to," Gekkouin answered plainly. "And you like the feel of my skin on yours."

Yoichi jumped, trying to pull his hand off of Gekkouin, but the wall stopped him. Did it just get closer?

"We talk a lot. Every night, in battle, in training sometimes … When you're alone …" Gekkouin's hand squeezed Yoichi's wrist, his legs moving to either side of Yoichi. No escape.

Yoichi's heart raced, apprehension and anticipation mingling within him. This was new. Different. Sudden.

A strong finger was caressing his chin, dragging his head upwards — Yoichi's nose bumped against Gekkouin's. They breathed the same air.

"Tell me: You want something right now."

"I-I …"

"You dream of me every single night."

His lips — Gekkouin's lips were so close, a hair's width from Yoichi's own. It filled him with anxiety, with expectation.

"You have so many naughty thoughts … you bad boy." Without warning, Gekkouin dragged his tongue across Yoichi's neck, fangs scraping the sensitive skin.

"Ah! Stop!"

Gekkouin paused mid-lick. "Hm?"

"D-don't … Y-you're pranking me now, aren't you?" Yoichi was getting dizzy, the unexpected attention wreaking havoc on his composure. "This — is a horrible April Fool's joke, isn't it?"

Slowly, Gekkouin pulled away. "You caught me."

Are you serious. Are you kidding me right now. Yoichi shook his wrist out for the second time, wiping at his neck where Gekkouin had licked him. Yoichi did his best to look angry, although his internals had become a confused mush.

Gekkouin put his hands up in surrender. "April Fool's, Yoichi."

Betrayal. "How could you."

"I wanted an excuse to taste my sweet little human," Gekkouin replied nonchalantly. "You'll give in to me someday. It's only a matter of willpower now."

"I'm not yours."

"And yet you think of me as yours."

"That … isn't true." Yoichi averted his gaze, wishing his blush would fade. "I don't own you. You don't own me. We're friends."

"So you say. But now you're reconsidering. Friends don't lick and kiss each other, do they?"

Friends with benefits. "N-no!" Yoichi couldn't believe himself. "Ahh, sorry! Sorry, Gekkouin. I really did start thinking of you as mine … I'm sorry."

"It's fine if you can be mine too," Gekkouin said. "Our souls are bound together anyway."

"It's because you're my weapon," Yoichi admitted. "You've been the embodiment of all I wanted to be. You made my hopes possible. You helped me with your power. Now I have friends and a mission I can actually stand a chance succeeding in."

"I don't want your love," Gekkouin muttered. "Lust, I enjoy, but love makes me sick."

"Sorry. I can't help loving those I care about."

"And you care about me?"

"Yes."

Gekkouin paused, his hair falling over one of his horns. He lifted an eyebrow.

"It's not an April Fool's joke," Yoichi said. "I'm serious."

"Then maybe you could try not to think about kissing me while you say it," Gekkouin retorted, puckering the lips that — gah, sorry! Sorry!

Yoichi whimpered, turning away. Mortification was apparently a state of being. This is all your fault, Shinoa.

"Look on the bright side," Gekkouin purred. "You'll get to face me tonight after you've simmered desire for me all day. I'll steal your first kiss then."

"A-ah?" Wait, no! "I — I mean — please don't …"

"April Fool's."

Yoichi actually laughed this time. "You're terrible."

"So are you." Gekkouin smiled then, cupping Yoichi's cheek and giving it a pinch. "You can be cute, but I know that monster in you better than anyone. Go kill a woman."

"Not even a woman."

"Not worth the air she breathes."

"I'll make her pay."

Gekkouin stroked his fingers across Yoichi's neck, giving his chest an encouraging pat. "Show her what it means to be one with a demon."

Yoichi grinned. "I'll do worse than that, Gekkouin."

x-x-x-x

In hindsight, Yoichi probably should have thought about it before making promises he couldn't keep.

His immediate regret was seeing both Shinoa and Kimizuki doubled over the tea table, laughing their heads off. Yoichi glanced down — apparently, the dress over his uniform wasn't even enough to hide his … problem.

Gekkouin. Oh, WHY …? Yoichi immediately shifted, quickly slapping his hands over his lap, and did his best not to cry of embarrassment. His bindings were removed, but he wasn't thinking about that at the moment.

"AHAHA! BAHAHA! Oh my — I can't breathe!" Shinoa cried, slamming her fist on the table and rattling the cups. "Yoichi's no cherry-boy like we — we thought!"

Why why why … Yoichi found it difficult to ignore the burning. Everything was burning.

Kimizuki was still tied up, his torso propped on the table while he heaved with laughter. Tears streamed down his cheeks and fogged his glasses. He and Shinoa cracked up for what felt like hours — paused suddenly, took one look at each other and then at Yoichi, and were cracking up even harder. Kimizuki started falling out of his chair again.

Shinoa didn't help him, too busy laughing, and Kimizuki crashed into the floor. He hissed in pain, looked again at Yoichi, and went straight back to laughing.

"C-cut it out!" Yoichi begged. "It's not — nothing happened!"

Shinoa snorted. "That sure didn't look like nothing to me."

Kimizuki began choking on his tears, wiggling in a pile of dress and chair on the floor. "Sh-shinoa, let — let me out of this — I can't — PFFT!" Kimizuki let out another stream of breathy laughter.

Yoichi stood, immediately regretting it. Why? He shifted away from them, causing Shinoa to fall off the table herself in another fit of giggles.

"Stop laughing right now," Yoichi said, glaring at Shinoa. "I said, stop it."

She caught her breath, lips quirked in a cheeky smile. "I'm sorry, Yoichi …"

No, you're not.

"… I didn't mean to make you cheat on your demon with Kimi-chan! HAHA!" Shinoa collapsed on top of Kimizuki, who now had no chance of getting up.

Alright, that's it! Instinctively, Yoichi glanced to the side, spotting his bow and Kimizuki's dual blades leaning on the wall. Yoichi grabbed his bow, turning back to his friends with a grin.

"Keep laughing and I'll shoot," Yoichi warned. Gekkouin responded to his call, the bow transforming to its true form, wrath made tangible.

"Righteous fury in a dress," Gekkouin murmured in amusement. "Rockin' it, Yoichi."

Yoichi beamed and cocked his bow. They're gonna die.

Kimizuki shut up. Shinoa froze mid-laugh with her mouth open.

Just then, Yuichiro walked into the room. "Guys, you'll never believe — GUYS?"

Whoops. Yoichi slowly let down his bow, feeling Gekkouin grumble in disappointment.

Kimizuki visibly relaxed, Yuichiro and an approaching Mitsuba gaping from the doorway.

"April Fool's," Yoichi said sweetly. At his request, Gekkouin retreated, and the bow was plain once more. Thank you.

Shinoa propped her head on her elbow, whistling. "Looks like Yoichi has us beat. Good game, good game."

"Shinoa," Kimizuki wheezed. "Get. Off. Of. Me."

"Oopsies."

Yuichiro stumbled in the doorway, Mitsuba pushing past him. She offered Yoichi a highly satisfying expression of terror, took one look at Kimizuki lying bound in a dress, pointed, and started laughing.

"What even?" Mitsuba clutched her stomach, fighting tears.

"Shh, Yoichette will hear you," Shinoa whispered.

Mitsuba clamped a hand over her mouth. Her shoulders shook, but otherwise, Yoichi was able to ignore her.

At the front, Yuichiro seemed troubled by the scene, yet he had no difficulty laughing with Mitsuba while they freed Kimizuki. The first thing Kimizuki did was scream, tear the dress off himself, and toss it in Shinoa's face.

She caught it, immediately backing away to avoid Kimizuki's wrath.

"I will kill you!"

"Hey!" Yuichiro shouted. "No one's killing anyone!"

"April Fool's, man," Kimizuki yelled. "April Fool's!"

"Well, it's not funny!"

"You're not yelling at Yoichi for it!"

"That's because I'm scared!"

Shinoa sidled over to Mitsuba, watching Yuichiro and Kimizuki's quarrel with a sly grin. "Ah, young love …"

Mitsuba huffed when Shinoa deposited Kimizuki's dress in her arms.

"Thanks for letting me borrow these."

"What —" Mitsuba glanced at the dress, then at Shinoa again. "Y-you! When did you get this?"

"While you were chasing Yuu's tail," Shinoa answered. "I couldn't use my dresses, of course. But I knew someone with a big enough rack —"

"I locked my room!"

"Oh-ho-ho, you underestimate me." Shinoa blew Mitsuba a kiss. "They call me the mistress of pranks for a reason."

"Who calls you that?"

"Huehuehue …"

Righteous fury in a dress, huh … Yoichi chuckled a bit late, but at least he wasn't embarrassed anymore. He pulled off the dress and gave it back to Mitsuba.

"Uh, thanks, I guess," Yoichi said.

Mitsuba sighed. "I don't know if you're cute or terrifying, Yoichi."

"Just be glad I'm on your side."

"Sounds like a plan."

Yuichiro seemed to have finished his heated exchange with Kimizuki, because he turned around with a beaming smile. "Oh yeah!" Yuichiro exclaimed. "I came to tell you guys something amazing!"

"You've finally come to your senses and don't want to stay a cherry-boy for life?" Shinoa supplied.

"Beep! Wrong!" Yuichiro made an X with his arms. "It's something super awesome! Mitsuba can make really crazy good food!"

Shinoa's jaw dropped. "Wha—what?"

Mitsuba did her best to put her hands on her hips, considering she was holding two dresses. "That's right!" she said. "I April Fool's-tricked you, Shinoa! By actually not pranking Yuichiro at all. And — I April Fool's-tricked Yuichiro because no one expected me to actually be able to cook!"

"No, no, no, back up." Shinoa's brows furrowed. "You can make crazy good food? Since when?"

"I just followed the recipe exactly," Mitsuba admitted. "It took me a few tries to figure out that that's what I was doing wrong … I had to prep days in advance."

"Days."

"Yep. I won this thing long ago, Shinoa," Mitsuba said. "You should learn from me next time. Good game, good game."

"You'll regret it when I hijack your shower tonight."

Mitsuba turned red. "Only the lowliest of lowlifes would resort to that type of abuse! You sore loser!"

"The sorest of losers."

Yoichi stood back, feeling warm inside. Not hot — thankfully Yuu arrived late enough to miss the problem Gekkouin had left behind, but warm nonetheless.

"You definitely want more," Gekkouin noted.

Yoichi startled, nearly dropping his bow on the floor. "S-sorry!" Gekkouin, stop that!

Shinoa brightened. "That's right! Yuu! You'll never guess what I found out about Yoi—"

"A-ah, hey! Um! Mitsuba!" Yoichi interrupted. "Why don't we have lunch now? I'm hungry. Why don't I help you and we can all eat together?"

"Wait, found out what?" Yuu asked.

Kimizuki snickered. "You know, Yoi—"

"APRIL FOOL'S!" Yoichi screamed, flailing now. Everyone's eyes were on him. "Uh — I mean. April Fool's doesn't have to be a day of just mean pranks, r-right? So, I mean. I think what Mitsuba did was kinda … cool."

"Aww, Yoichi!" Mitsuba gave him a side-hug that included a face-full of dress. "You're adorable and such a great person! You're so right!"

"Ahaha … yeah."

Mitsuba nodded. "Okay! I decided! I'm gonna cook lunch for everybody! And you're all gonna be April Fool's-shocked by me! Eggs and bacon on pancakes."

"Just eggs and bacon on pancakes?" Shinoa whined.

"That's all I know!"

"It's lunch. I need real food. I'm a growing woman."

"No bacon for you."

"And how does that make sense?"

"Let's all make something!" Yuu interjected. "We can have a big party! And invite Guren and the rest of the JIDA members."

Kimizuki smacked Yuu upside the head. "We'll be cooking all day!"

"Ow! Okay, just Guren, then!"

Yoichi laughed, following them out as they continued the conversation down the hall. They had so much energy, were exhausting to deal with, and had the worst manners in existence.

But Yoichi cared about them like family. They all cared about each other.

Watching them joke and smile together, Yoichi couldn't help but think things weren't all that bad.

I guess this is a new beginning in its own way.

"— you serious?" Mitsuba burst out in an explosion of giggles. "That's hilarious."

Wait. Yoichi slowed. Now Yuu was giving Yoichi weird looks too. They were all grinning mischievously. "E-er? What's going on?"

Shinoa pretended to zip her lips. Kimizuki muffled his laugh.

Oh no.

"Hey, it's okay, Yoichi," Mitsuba said, patting him on the shoulder. "Even if you love your demon more than us, we'll still support you."

Yoichi flushed, going beet-red to his ears. "It's — it's not like that! I — he — Gekkouin was messing with me!"

Mitsuba and Shinoa doubled over, clutching each other while they laughed. Kimizuki feigned a hurt expression, failing halfway and joining the girls in their cackling. Yuu just watched with intense interest, sporting the slightest of grins.

"You sure you don't want to kill them? I can do it for you." Gekkouin's aura tickled at Yoichi's hand where he gripped the bow, electric and warm.

"Ah!" Yoichi hurriedly strapped his bow to his back. Everyone's smiles grew. "Ah, it's not like that! We're just friends, okay? Friends."

Yuu awkwardly turned away from Yoichi. "Um … you sure? You kinda …"

Not again! Please, no! Mortified, Yoichi glanced down.

"April Fool's," Yuu said, laughing. "Sorry. Couldn't help it."

Yoichi sighed, leaving them all cracking up behind him. Even Gekkouin was laughing.

Confirmation: April Fool's was the worst holiday ever.

Idk why that was surprisingly in-character, lol. And the fact that Yoichi and Gekkouin actually have some real chemistry is funny to me. xD

As you can probably tell, I'm incapable of writing a crack-fic without some substance to it, haha. I plan on leaving this as a one-shot, but if someone begs me enough, I MIGHT think about writing some more Gekkouin/Yoichi, maybe even a continuation just for kicks. Although this already hits all the points I wanted to cover. Thanks for reading~