Disclaimer: I don't own Hot Gimmick; Miki Aihara does.
Warning: This is a Shinogu/Azusa pairing and will become a lemon in a later chapter. DON'T READ IF YOU DON'T LIKE BOY+BOY, DUH.
A/N: Azusa's hair is dyed orange for this story, so don't be confused.
1. Planning Cut Short
"Azusa! Stop trying to mess me up!" Hatsumi hollered over the game and his laughter. She made a quick attempt to shove Azusa with her body since her hands were rather occupied with the controller and her mind was focused on winning.
The fire haired boy got another yelp from Hatsumi when he decided propel her off the couch, though it hadn't taken much effort since: One, Azusa was a guy and it took little effort to push the small-framed girl around. And two, Hatsumi had become so warped in the game that she'd moved from a relaxed position to sitting on the very edge of the couch with her rather flat butt barely hanging on.
"Haha, who do you think you're messing with, Hatsumi? 'Cause baby, you need a reality check if you think you can push me around!" Azusa smirked, knowing Hatsumi would turn around and scowl. But Azusa also knew that when this happened, he'd go in for the kill and Hatsumi would lose yet another round of the fighting game he'd just bought. "Looks like I win, huh?"
Hatsumi frowned as she pushed the controller away and folded her arms. "I could've won if you'd just stop harassing me in the middle of our matches!" the brunette grumbled more as she crawled back onto the couch and submerged herself under a few pillows. Azusa chuckled at how childish she looked while pouting underneath the heap of couch accessories.
"Speaking of harassment and such, where is Shinogu?"
"How is that even- ugh, forget I asked. I don't know, though. He said he wanted to buy a few things from the store, but he also said a few days ago that he needed to find a place with long-lasting jeans. And, well… you know how Shinogu shops,"
Hatsumi cringed at the thought of the long hours spent with her brother at the mall. Of all the things to be picky about, she wondered why it had been clothes. Azusa chuckled again, remembering how the only things Shinogu considered when buying apparel somehow managed to waste ten times more time than money.
"Mr. Cheap-o is never gonna find what he wants with his requirements. Either way, he's not here and that means I kinda need to talk to you about something…" Azusa's eyes trailed from Hatsumi and her many pillows to the couch cushion, where his hand began to pick at the pill.
Hatsumi emerged from her mound by sitting up straight and leaning in closer to Azusa, becoming more than curious at how awkward Azusa seemed to have made himself. "Things, huh? Like what?"
"Things with Shinogu…"
"What about things with him? Did something happen?"
"I want things to happen," Azusa mumbled, his bright hair becoming bolder then he. He became quiet, hoping he wouldn't have to go in depth about all the feelings he had been dealing with for a while now. He was willing to accept the silence that filled the room as Hatsumi struggled to find the reassuring words Azusa wanted to hear and the questions that needed to be asked.
"Shinogu? Are you…? Did this…? Uhh," Hatsumi paused, trying to sort through her thoughts so she could form a complete sentence, "Wh-when did you start uhh- liking Shinogu? Or guys for that matter?"
"Well, I sort of-" Azusa couldn't finish before he and Hatsumi were startled by the front door unlocking. Azusa brought his hand to his face as he began to shake his head, "You've got to be kidding me…"
"I'm home Hatsumi!" a familiar voice called as footsteps were heard traveling closer to the living room. Shinogu stopped when he entered what had previously been "the battle field," and waved sheepishly at the unexpected guest.
"Oh! Hello, Azusa. Didn't know I'd see you here… but I guess I was gone a while, huh? Didn't mean to leave you alone for so long, Hatsumi," Shinogu chuckled as he held up the bag from a clothing store to prove he'd been victorious in shopping for jeans.
After a thumbs-up from his sister and a few more seconds of awkward silence between the three of them, Shinogu decided to head to the kitchen to put up the groceries. Although the kitchen and living room were connected, the rustle of bags and the banging of food provided enough noise for Azusa and Hatsumi to whisper to each other.
"So what do I need to do, huh? I'm assuming you want me help, even though I don't exactly know what I could possibly do. You know how I am with situations like th-" Azusa put a hand over her mouth as her voice started to rise in volume the more anxious she got.
"Look," he barely breathed out, eyeing the kitchen door way from the couch, "I just feel really awkward with your brother home now."
Hatsumi nodded to show she understood, still unable to speak from Azusa's hand-barrier.
"I'll text you the details later, okay? And uhh… type 'pink pony' so I know I'm talking to you and not your sister or something," And with that, Azusa dashed out of the house with a quick "Good-bye" to Hatsumi and her brother, leaving the brunette alone on the couch to ponder the events that had just taken place in the last ten minutes. She was interrupted again when she realized the bustling from the kitchen had stopped and her brother was standing in the door way to the living room.
"So," Shinogu said, leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed and an eyebrow cocked, "what was that about?"
Hatsumi chewed on her lower lip and glanced around the room unable to look Shinogu in the eyes.
"Oh, nothing," she lied, smiling nervously before rising from the couch and running awkwardly to her room.
'Absolutely nothing,'