There were a lot of things about Natsuki that Yuki didn't know.
For instance, how he preferred cats over dogs, his dislike of smartphones (or technology in general - he was a traditional guy, after all), or the fact that, when he's sleepy, he'd rest his head just about anywhere.
Which is why Yuki had to hold back a laugh when he found the Fishing Prince curled up on his living room couch.
It had been a long day of fishing by the pier under overcast skies, and as they were packing up for the day, those clouds had let down a torrent of rain. Yuki's house had been the closest shelter they knew of, and took refuge there. While Yuki and Natsuki ran for the door, their blond alien companion danced around the yard, exclaiming how wonderful and convenient it was for Earth to have a system that drops water from the sky. Yuki had exasperatedly dragged him inside, telling Natsuki that he could have the bath first, since he was the guest.
Back to the present, Yuki had just finished his turn at a nice warm soak. Haru was giggling as he trotted down the hall for his, ignoring the questioning look Yuki was giving him.
Upon entering the living room, Yuki could see why the giggles had been necessary.
He had hardly expected the shaggy-haired friend of his to pass out on the couch, given how short his own bath had been. It wasn't like they'd been over-exerting themselves by fishing, so…
Puzzled and just a tad amused, the redhead crossed the room to where Natsuki lay, quiet and motionless aside from the steady rise and fall of his chest as he slept. Yuki didn't have the heart to wake him, especially if his friend was that exhausted; however he hadn't exactly planned a sleepover for tonight.
He glanced over his shoulder at the sound of bath water running, and smiled slightly into the quiet room. Haru was probably dancing around the bathroom while he waited for his tub to fill…
Yuki turned his attention back to the sleeping teen, and crouched down beside him. He noticed that Natsuki's hair was still quite damp, the black strands curling at the ends and occasionally dripping. He chuckled softly, finding the sight oddly adorable, considering how stoic his friend could be sometimes. But now, he seemed so peaceful. Vulnerable, even.
Yuki was so so tempted to snap a picture with his iPhone. His better judgement killed the idea.
"I guess I must've tired you out," he spoke up, voice a bit more confident than he was used to hearing. The mute response Natsuki gave him was pretty much an answer in itself. "Yeah, yeah, I know… I'm not very good at this yet, but…"
He sighed, scratching his cheek lightly as he though of the right conclusion to that sentence. Yuki was never very good at talking, and coming up with more than a couple sentences at a time was a challenge. Especially when he felt put on the spot. Right now, tough, his audience was silent and listening with the deaf ears of a sleeping man, and he was able to pull some confidence from that.
"…But I promise, I'll do my best. For Haru. For you." He nodded to himself; a promise, and a firm confirmation.
He shifted a bit closer when Natsuki uttered a soft noise.
Suddenly Yuki's cheeks were toasty warm, probably flushing brightly. Because of their closeness? (Natsuki had rolled over and was now facing him with closed eyes.)
Strange as it was, the warmth lingered. It was a new feeling, not like the mixture of fear and embarrassment that usually suffocated him-the feeling of drowning in the cold and airless atmosphere that Yuki was unfortunately used to.
But this was different. Natsuki was calm, no matter what, and that in turn seemed to relax him, as well.
Before he realized it, he was stroking his friend's jaw with a couple of clumsy fingers.
Ba-dump…
"…A bit like Sleeping Beauty, huh…" Yuki mumbled quietly. He was confused by the sadness laced so subtly into his words. "I'm sorry for putting you through all this trouble… I know I'm clumsy and can't really do anything right…"His hand fell, but he could swear he saw Natsuki's eyelids flutter, and so he leaned in. To inspect further, his mind whispered.
"I'm really trying… I…"
Natsuki was practically giving off heat. Yuki's heart was sore.
Ba-dump.
If Haru was here he'd suggest to cover Yuki's chest with bandaids.
Ba-dump, ba-dump…
Wake up, his heart pulsed. Wake up, damn it…
Yuki exhaled shakily, shuddering as though the water from Natsuki's hair had chilled him to the bone. Was he really this close? How had he-?
"Nngh…"
Yuki nearly fell backwards as a gasp flew from his lips, all because the sleeping Prince had stirred. Natsuki yawned and shifted, cringing as though he was in pain. The redhead was unsure if the face was made unconsciously or not.
He jumped when Natsuki's glasses fell to the floor with a small noise that could have stopped his racing heart.
"Oh," he breathed, sighing deeply as he reached for them.
Shamefully, he was trembling.
He cursed himself mentally, trying to shake the immense blush from his cheeks. Stupid… What was wrong with him? He wasn't- he didn't feel anything for this guy. He couldn't possibly. They had only met less than a week ago…!
Plus, what was Natsuki, besides the "Fishing Prince" of Enoshima? Just some dude in serious need of a haircut with a sister complex.
Yuki's fingers twitched, fighting to intense desire to slap himself. Poisonous feelings boiled in the pit of his stomach.
He hadn't mean that. None of it. That was rude and horrible to think and he knew it but ugh-
"I'm sorry," he whispered, neatly placing the pair of glasses on the floor, looking to Natsuki again. "I'm so stupid…"Ba-dump…The corner of his lips twitched slightly, and he was surprised by the small smile forming on his face. Natsuki's was contagious, he guess. Perhaps he was enjoying a nice dream about fishing.
"That's cute…"
There were a lot of things that Yuki hadn't known about Natsuki.
That he was a sound sleeper, for example. That usually, right after a nice hot shower, he would pass out in the nearest piece of furniture for hours on end.
That, in the next moment, he had taken Natsuki's first kiss.
"P-please don't wake up," Yuki murmured, pulling back from those slightly parted lips that were so warm, so kind-
No… No. No no no.
Ba-dump ba-dump ba-dump ba-dump-
"Yuki~!" he heard Haru sing from around the corner, causing his blood to run cold and his feet to move as fast as they could to move him the fuck away from the Prince-
Oh. He meant Natsuki.
Just…Natsuki.
While Yuki sat in the chair opposite of the couch, trembling, drowning in the same guilty waters that continued to haunt him as he waited for Haru to enter, he was also unaware that, as he and Natsuki's lips had met, the Fishing Prince's dream had shifted.
Such a strange thing, to shift from catching the largest fish in Japan, to suddenly be running his thumb along an unknown pair of lips that were, in a comforting way, the most gentle pair he'd ever felt.
Alright! So this lovely piece came from my lovely Canadian (xSaki-Uchiha), so we sorta collabed this. She wrote the beginning and I finished. 3
Hope you guys like it!
