Himekawa had never been this nervous in his life. His stomach was in knots, his throat and mouth were dry, his chest was tight, and his skin was clammy with sweat. You see, it was Valentine's Day at St. Ishiyama High and Himekawa has decided to act on a twelve year long crush and finally ask out Natsume. But he had to admit, he was starting to hate Natsume just a bit for causing him to feel like this.
"Just try and get him alone and ask him... he's not the type to rub it in if he says no. Is he?" Himekawa muttered to himself as he walked down the red and pink decorated halls of St. Ishiyama High. He had gotten a rose to give to Natsume and hopefully, it would improve his chances at getting a date. Himekawa had a lot at stake asking Natsume out, a thirteen year long friendship, his pride and dignity if Natsume said no, the chance at having a healthy relationship with the one he loved, the list could go one for miles but Himekawa already felt like throwing up.
The school bell rang shrilly above him and he was temporally caught up in the waves of students rushing for class but he was soon alone in the big halls. Or slightly alone.
"Ooh, Hime-chan, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in class by now?" Natsume popped around the corner and cooed at him. Almost immediately, his eyes honed in on the rose in Himekawa's hand.
"Don't call me that, idiot, and you're here as well so it's not like I'd get in trouble alone." Himekawa said in his best haughty tone. Natsume just grinned.
"I have a pass to go to my doctor's, every teacher knows I was going to be late. You're just late, though I suppose there are plenty of staircases around if you wanted to fake a medical emergency." Natsume looked and sounded like he would be delighted to throw him down a flight or two. "Who's the rose for, Hime-chan, gonna ask that fiance of yours to be your Valentine? That's sweet of you."
"C-che, dumb ass, you don't need to know who it's for." Himekawa regretted speaking as soon as the stutter left his mouth and Natsume's eyes lit up.
"Ooh, naughty boy, cheating on her." Natsume clicked his tongue in fake disappointment. "Is it for Chiaki?"
"N-no it's for this guy- motherfuck." Himekawa swore and Natsume gasped dramatically. Himekawa was reminded of how over dramatic Natsume used to be when they were kids, he supposed he still was on the inside.
"Hime-chan likes boys! Hime-chan likes boys! Hime-chan likes boys!" Natsume chanted and looked about ready to open all the classroom doors and run down the halls screaming it.
"Will you shut the hell up for second!" Himekawa hissed. Natsume seemed to calm for a moment but Himekawa could still see the fire and the desire to hang a banner with 'HIME-CHAN LIKES BOYS!' written on it from the front of the school in his eyes.
"Look, Natsume-kun," Himekawa had already made up his mind to use honorifics the night before. "I was wondering-" A door slammed open not ten feet away from where they were standing and Sadohara poked his head out.
"What are you doing outside off class?." Sadohara snapped.
"We were just leaving." Natsume said quickly and Himekawa's heart sank, he most likely wouldn't be able to get Natsume alone for the rest of the week let alone the rest of the day. It was Kanzaki's fault really, the minute Natsume stepped through the door, he was all over him with Shiroyama.
"But-" Himekawa protested weakly as Sadohara closed the door quietly.
"Sorry, Hime-chan, we have to get to class. I'll talk to you later after school." Natsume said opening their homeroom door and disappearing inside.
"No, you won't." Himekawa mumbled to himself.
"Oh, Hime-chan, I hope your date says yes. Tell me about it later." Natsume's head appeared around the corner momentarily but was seemingly called back in by Kanzaki.
His stomach felt like he had swallowed rusty chains whole and his chest and throat were tight. In fact, if he was any other person, he would have curled up in a ball in the corner and cried like a little baby but he wasn't any other person, he was Himekawa Tatsuya and after four long wistful years, six years of chickening out during Valentine's Day, and failing for the second time to ask out Natsume, he was used to it.
"Next year." Himekawa said haughtily as he threw the rose into a trash can as he walked by on his way to homeroom. "I'll definitely ask him next year." The homeroom door rattled slightly on it's tracks but at least it shielded him from the garishly decorated hallways.
"Valentine's Day sucks, all the girls say no. Right Himekawa?" Furuichi asked.
"Yeah, it sucks alright." Himekawa took his seat and started playing on his phone as the teacher took roll call.