"I assure you—" Suguru kept his tone level, despite his apparent annoyance, "—I'm perfectly well, Nakano-san. It's just a minor flu!"
Hiro did not budge from his place at the entry way, however, as he continued his one-man barricade of the front door to Suguru's studio apartment, one shoulder leaning casually on the
door frame and an amused smirk spreading across his face. Evidently, Suguru could be as feisty when he wasn't sick as he was with runny nose and a cough. It was quite adorable;
disgusting yes, but adorable nevertheless.
"A flu isn't minor these days, Fujisaki." Hiro replied nonchalantly, feigning ignorance at his band-mate's imminent tantrum. "Besides, how can you expect to banter with Shuichi in your
condition?"
"I-!"
The younger man tried to protest again; but Hiro impeded his words by stepping in front of Suguru in one shift stride, gently tilting his chin up to meet wild pools of russet-brown. Suguru
let out a soft gasp of surprise as he gazed back into Hiro's deep grey eyes; their unexpected close proximity was suddenly making the guitarist's heart pound rapidly in his chest. It was
clear that Suguru was as intoxicated as he was; the keyboardist's cheeks were beautifully flushed—and it had nothing to do with the slight fever—his mouth was agape, hanging between
confusion and anticipation, and his eyes were now a bit misted with unmistakable… attraction.
Hiro grinned roguishly. "I bought you ramen."
Suguru jerked away, cheeks reddening more, if possible, but this time due to embarrassment. Hiro's eyes twinkled in mirth as he watched the play of emotions on Suguru's face: self-
consciousness, disappointment, uncertainty, recklessness and thrill.
K-san was a clever man to have sent the guitarist to check on his band-mate; it was more likely that the young prodigy would respond positively with the red-head than anyone else from
the Bad Luck team (not Shuichi, most definitely). Since it wasn't entirely a secret that Suguru has had a crush on Hiro for as long as they began playing together, the crazy manager simply
used it to his advantage, as usual.
Hiro just didn't want to act on that crush, however; but not of lack of attraction with the keyboardist; it had all been simply circumstance. And besides, Suguru was only 16 when they had
met, Hiro wasn't about to throw his budding career away by a romantic involvement with a minor.
As it were, the Fates seemed to have his back lately: he was famous, successful, unattached and was currently deeply enticed with his a certain keyboardists who just happened to be his
band-mate. And said band-mate was just as famous and successful, romantically uninvolved and had recently turned 19 a couple of months ago. Not to mention, still blaringly enamored
with Hiro.
K-san was indeed a clever, clever man.
"I got it from that little noodle shop you like so much."
"Oh… uhm, fine." Not one to turn down a thoughtful gesture, Suguru nodded in tentative concession, pouting cutely and blushing furiously as he tried to avoid Hiro's rapt gaze. "Thanks…
I guess."
Hiro smiled warmly, turning Suguru on his heel as he steered him away from the door towards the keyboardist's bedroom. "You should eat it while it's still… hot, Suguru-kun," Hiro let his
voice drop down an octave as he put emphasis on the word 'hot' and called out the other boy's name, almost in a whisper to his ear. Suguru caught the double entendre of his words and
he shivered involuntarily; Hiro grinned widely at this.
"U-un…"
The boy didn't protest any more as he had been led towards his bed, Hiro easing him into a comfortable sitting position with the pillows and blanket. He then dragged a chair from the
sitting area and placed it beside Suguru's bed. With ease, Hiro unpacked the noodle soup, gingerly taking off the plastic cover of the styrofoam bowl, then fetching a plastic spoon from
the take-out bag and dipping it into the steaming liquid, held it up for Suguru to taste.
"I—I can do it myself, Nakano-san," the keyboardist declared timidly.
"Hiro, just call me Hiro. And no, it's okay," Hiro assured positively, hands still poised to feed the younger man, "I don't mind, really. You should just concentrate on getting well soon."
Suguru nodded quietly and obediently relented to Hiro's ministrations; the blush still tingeing his porcelain-colored cheeks. "Thank you… Hiro-san."
"That's better." Hiro smiled triumphantly. If this keeps up, as long as he just plays his cards right, he thought that perhaps he could… persuade Suguru in the future easily. He's got to get
better first, of course; but Hiro knew, it was high time to act on that little crush. This minor dry-run of seduction-play was proving to be quite successful; Hiro actually considered just how
far he's willing to take it on, and how much Suguru would let him. The apparent attraction-tension between them was enough reason to continue, not even bad health conditions would
put him off one bit.
Hiro backed up a little when Suguru excused himself to get a tissue from his nightstand; his runny nose was making him uncomfortable to continue eating the hot food. He glanced warily
at Hiro before discreetly trying to blow his nose and wiping his mouth area clean.
Hiro could not hide his tender delight as he imagined what must have been running through Suguru's mind at that moment: horrifically embarrassed, shy, absolute turn-off and plain,
miserably sick. The guitarist thought no one else—not even Shuichi—could be as adorably endearing as Suguru right now.
"Here, let me."
Hiro replaced the noodle bowl on the nightstand and grabbed a couple of tissues from a box. Inching closer, he shifted to the bed and sat next to Suguru. With gentle hands, he patted
Suguru's poor, infected nose and let him blow into it. Hiro was not about to bet on the fact that it was simply his early training to become a doctor that allowed him not to be disgusted at
the sight before him. He wasn't one now, was he?
"It's okay, Suguru. I don't mind, honestly." He reassured again, even though the other boy didn't ask him to stop.
Was it Shuichi who once told him that you could never really tell if you love someone unless you saw them sick and you just want to take care of them?
Hiro let out a snort; leave it to that idiot to justify his excuses for always staying at home to 'take care of his Yuki'. It was a comforting thought though, Hiro had to admit, and he rather
liked the idea. Wait—so does this mean he's more in love with Suguru than he'd initially realized?
The younger boy was smiling slightly up at him; an soft, appreciative look in his eyes as he let Hiro tend to him. Hiro was surely warming up to the idea now.
There was the rapid pounding inside his chest again before on impulse, he brought his lips down to Suguru's and tasted the boy for the first time, the term 'unhygienic' simply flying out of
his mind the minute supple lips touched his. They were unyielding at first, but it didn't take much longer for Suguru to respond, slowly, testily, nipping lightly at Hiro's lips as he explored
the other's mouth. The guitarist decided their first kiss should be chaste, none of the tongue yet as he was in no real hurry. He had no other plans of going anywhere else but here; not
any time soon nor in the distant future.
When they finally broke off for air, Suguru had this satisfied, somewhat amused glint in his eyes that Hiro had rarely seen in the boy. "Cherry" he simply stated, suppressing a bout of
giggles.
"Huh?" Hiro regarded Suguru for a moment, deliberating if his fever was high enough for the keyboardist to be delusional.
"Cherry" Suguru repeated, this time looking directly at Hiro as he said it, grinning widely. "You taste like cherry, Hiro-san."
"Oh." Realizing his words, Hiro grinned back sheepishly at the keyboardist. "It's lip balm."
"Mm. I see." When Suguru licked his lips to take in the slight taste of Hiro on his lips, the guitarist never thought that someone so sick could be so gaddamn sexy. The boy smiled impishly
at Hiro. "My mother used to give me cherry-flavored medicine whenever I become ill when I was a kid."
Hiro returned the playful smirk. "Did it work?"
Suguru shrugged casually, placing his arms around Hiro's neck to draw him closer. "Most of the time. Do you think this one will?"
Finally closing the gap between them, Hiro breathed in a low voice, "Care to find out?" before tilting his head a little to meet Suguru's lips for another intimate kiss. Hiro wondered briefly if
Shuichi wouldn't mind a slight delay on their next album…
The following morning found a passed out Sakano on the carpeted floor of Bad Luck's recording studio, a happily bouncing Shuichi who was now skipping away from the room and a rather
pissed, but nonetheless calm, crazy, magnum-wielding American manager who had just declared that today was "emergency day-off" day. And possibly for the next couple of days as well.
End ^ ^