Dammit. As if I needed more distractions. Sigh. Enjoy things.
He stretches his arms over his head and sighs in relief. The cold air brushed at his cheeks and eyelashes and tickled his nose. "Dinner was delicious, Haru-chan. But you didn't have to treat me."
"Lay off the -chan. And yes, I did. You just completed your first semester at uni. You deserve a celebration."
"Will you do this when I complete my second semester?"
"No," he replies briskly and continues, "by then, the novelty will have worn off."
"Eh? That's so mean, Haru."
Haru shrugs indifferently.
Makoto glances up at the night sky, finding the bright moon. "It's getting cold. And late." Turning his head to Haru he observes, "and you're getting tired."
"Am not," he lies unconvincingly as he covers his yawn.
"My place is closer." You can stay with me.
Haru didn't agree or disagree. Nor did he make any indication of having heard him. Makoto knows he'd say yes anyway.
Haru exits the bathroom after having soaked in the tub for the last 30 minutes. Dressed in Makoto's oversized t-shirt, he takes a seat next to Makoto at the small dining table. Still rubbing his hair dry, he mumbles unnecessarily, "your tub is still too small. Also, bathroom's free."
Makoto glances at him, "it's not too small. It's the same size it's always been. I can't do anything about that, Haru." His eyes wonder to the bathroom, "I think I'll take a quick shower. Why don't you go to bed?"
Haru nods imperceptibly, his eyes following as Makoto disappears into his bedroom and then the bathroom. He returns to rubbing his head.
The last five months had been rough. Haru was (and still is) on a rigorous training schedule. Makoto on the other hand, had been swamped with studying. And homework. And exams. And papers. The last two weeks had been particularly grueling for him; cramming for final exams and finishing final papers. They rarely had time to even send a quick text to let the other know that they were still alive much less hang out with each other. That's why when Makoto told him he just finished his final-final exam of the semester, he invited him to the little ramen shop they had discovered their first week in Tokyo.
He had missed his friend. He missed his voice. He missed their silences. He even missed him calling him Haru-chan. When had that happened? He didn't think anything could top the anxiety he felt when he left to Australia with Rin last summer, but here he is. With all these... weird feelings. It's odd. And foreign. And un-chartered. And whatever else adjective you want to use.
It's not like he's a stranger to feelings. Despite his outward stoicism and monosyllabicism, he cares about quite a bit of people. One could even say he loves them. Although, good luck trying to pry it out of him. Nagisa and Rei are important people in his life. Gou too. Hell, even Sousuke in some weird, funky fashion that he would never admit out loud.
But Makoto was Makoto. And feelings for Makoto are different. It always have been, all things considered. The only other person to stir up even a fraction of those waves of feelings, is Rin. But it isn't quite the same. Not even close, really. Rin ignited within him a fire for competition. Whatever it is, they'd find a way to make a competition out of it. It's stupid. And silly. One might call it childish, even.
With Makoto though... Makoto had the whole damn pie in an ocean of feelings. And now his metaphors are getting wonky.
It may not show on his face, but he feels everything with Makoto. Annoyance. Acceptance. Joy and laughter. Sadness and regret. Even though they both made their apologies and moved past it, it still stung when he thinks about the awful things he said to him last summer after finding out his post high school plans. Makoto deserved none of that and the pain on his face when he said it hurt him almost as much as it did Makoto. (He wanted to say it hurt him more but Makoto was on the receiving end of Haru's nastiness so it definitely hurt Makoto more.)
So yeah. He understands the general concept of what he was feeling but still... weird and foreign and un-chartered. ...And addicting.
Shaking out of his thoughts, he started to straighten out the pile of textbooks scattered both on the table and across the floor. Moving on to the kitchen, he put the clean bowls and plates and utensils back in its proper place. Before long, Makoto came out of the bathroom, mild surprise blooming across his face that Haru was not only still awake but puttering around in his kitchen.
Haru looks up, "please tell me you haven't just been eating instant ramen these last two weeks." His eyes couldn't hide the sheepishness, "all right, I won't." Haru sighs. The guy is going to die from too much MSG if this continues. He could see the epitaph now: 'Here Lies Tachibana Makoto: He Who Consumed too Much MSG.' He makes a note to make plenty of leftovers the next time he cooks. He chews on his lip, "I think I should've gone home. Not as tired as I thought."
Makoto smiles gently at him, "well, it's too late now." He glances over at his open bedroom, "wanna watch something instead?"
Makoto turns toward his room, knowing Haru would follow. "It's been a while since I've been here."
"You've been busy. With training and all."
"So have you. With studying and all."
"Well, that's all done," he frowns a little, "for four weeks anyways…"
Makoto grabs his laptop and hands it to Haru after he'd crawled into the bed. Makoto proceeds to turn off the lights in the other room and to make sure the apartment door was locked before returning and sliding into bed with Haru. He scoots over to make room for him. Haru already has some nature documentary queued up. Makoto suspected that Haru isn't all that interested in nature in general but more on the subject matter at hand… what with the whales and dolphins and ocean-y things.
They sit with the laptop balanced precariously between them; their thighs flush against each other as it acted as a makeshift stand. After twenty minutes, Haru's eyes begins to droop and Makoto feels Haru nodding off. Gently, he closes the laptop and slides it onto the nightstand. "Haru, time to go to sleep, okay?" Haru murmurs lowly but Makoto heard him clearly. Makoto slips halfway off the bed and Haru slides down from the headboard.
"I'll be on the couch if you need me."
Growing more conscious but still groggy, Haru mumbles, "the couch is too small. You'd never fit."
"I'll be fine-"
"You're a giant. You'll be spilling over the edge… or knowing you, roll off."
"I'm not a giant!" he huffs indignantly. He then grimaces at the blatant falseness of the outburst. "Well, I mean—"
"I'll take the couch." He rolls onto his knees, fully prepared to leave the warm bed.
"You're a guest, Haru! I can't make you take the couch!"
"Then we'll share. It's big enough."
Makoto seriously considers it but shakes his head to clear it, "no, I'll be on the couch." He straightens up, one knee still on the bed. He's ready to go when Haru tugs on the hem of his shirt. Turning back, he gasps at how close Haru had gotten.
He's upright; on his knees and and their eyes were level. "Haru-chan?"
"Lay off the -chan," he mutters impatiently.
"Sorry, Har-"
"Can I kiss you?" he interrupts.
Makoto's eyes bulges out of his eyes, unsure if he had him heard correctly, "huh?"
"You don't have to say yes. But I want to kiss you." Makoto gapes at his friend, bewilderment clearly on his face and clueless on how to respond.
"So? Can I kiss you?"
He quickly nods and breathes, "yes."
Haru quickly closes the gap, tugging on Makoto's collar. The kiss is brief. Too brief to be called a kiss but it was more than enough. For now. It was still warm and soft, like how he expected but he swears he felt a surge of electricity course through his veins. Which was unexpected. It made him hot and dizzy and he feels his head grow cloudy and his vision blurring. And despite its briefness, he swears he now knows what Makoto tastes like. He wants more and instantly realizes that he was right: Tachibana Makoto is addicting.
"What was that for?"
Haru looks away as he usually did, "you completed your first semester," he mumbles quietly.
Makoto smiles shyly, "will you do this when I complete my second semester?" he repeats the scene from earlier that night.
Haru shrugs his left shoulder, "If I feel like it," he pauses and looks at Makoto's grinning face, "if you ask nicely," he pauses again, "if you want me to."
Makoto's smile widens, "I definitely will."
Haru, tugging at his hem again, looks at him expectantly, "stay?"
Makoto's gentle eyes says everything he needs to say but says it aloud anyway, "I'll stay."
This is unusual. I tend to drag things out a bit but I jumped right into here. Not sure how I feel about that...