"Beauty Sleep"
By sevenfivetwo
Summary: Toudou was a morning person. And Arakita hated it. That blabbermouth made it his duty to turn every morning a living hell for him. He was the alarm clock Arakita never wanted. An alarm clock that lacked a snooze button. An alarm clock that wouldn't shut up. And it was getting on his nerves.
Caution: Since Arakita is responsible for sharing his thoughts, there is some foul language. If it happens to come across as offensive or rude, keep in mind that this is Hakone's favorite yankee-delinquent-cyclist!
Disclaimer: Yowamushi Pedal does not belong to me. It belongs to Wataru Watanabe, respectively.
A/N: why are there literally only like 3 fanfics of aratou what is this
Arakita hated the morning. Mornings were groggy and annoying. Sunlight always pierced through the blinds, glaring at him through the thinnest slits. Birds always chirped loudly and obnoxiously, no matter how many times he angrily yelled out his window for them to shut up. Everything about the morning was annoying. It seemed like everyone was out to get him when all he wanted was some peace and quiet, and a few more hours of sleep. Was that so much to ask?
And to make matters worse, the most annoying nuisance of all decided to become his alarm clock. Every single day, at precisely 6 o'clock in the morning, Toudou Jinpachi would burst into his room. Uninvited. Strolling in with that irritating grin on his face, he would draw the blinds and open the window while ignoring Arakita's grumbling protests. And then all at once, everything Arakita had been trying to avoid would come flooding into his exposed room. The blinding sunlight, the chirping birds, the fresh air, it made him miserable and short-tempered. It was infuriating. Not to mention the chilly morning air from the mountains of Hakone that would breeze into his room and nip at his skin. Every single time, that pinch of cold air was always the last straw.
Arakita threw his covers over himself. Although it was uncomfortably warm underneath, his mess of blankets shielded him from the light and muffled the noise.
"Ah, what a beautiful morning." Toudou loved to comment on the scenery outside. And he always said it under his breath, but Arakita never failed to hear him. Of course Toudou wouldn't know how to talk quietly, the blabbermouth.
Now, for a few gracious moments, Arakita would get used to the commotion that was settling into his room. His thoughts, which had been angrily badmouthing Toudou the second he waltzed into his room and disturbed the peace, calmed. He would finally be able to find some rest again, feeling his eyelids grow heavier as he burrowed under his heap of pillows and blankets. As long as Toudou didn't pester him and start nagging with that annoyingly shrill voice of his, he could sleep.
Burying his head under his pillow, Arakita swore he would strangle Toudou if he bothered to wake him up again.
Of course, this torturous morning routine didn't end there. Toudou was a fucking alarm clock, and he wouldn't stop until Arakita was up and running. After all, Toudou was a diligent student, the type to show up to class on the dot and never disappoint his peers and teachers. He was a crowd-pleaser, always kissing up and giving lip service, and everyone adored him for that. Toudou was the embodiment of every parent's dream, a well-kept boy with talent and striking looks, not to mention his good grades and ability to charm others. Just as he knew how to be loved by his fans, he knew how to get chummy with the adults and earn their favor. Ass kisser.
Well, Arakita was not like that. He couldn't care less about school. Before Toudou began interrupting his precious sleep and forcing him to attend class, Arakita happily skipped them, especially the ones early in the morning. Arakita only showed up to class when it was absolutely necessary. He knew it was important to maintain a reasonable grade in order to stay on the cycling team, so he tried every so often, but otherwise he didn't think it mattered. Still, Toudou didn't need to force him to be more studious like him. He was so annoying.
"Arakita! It's time to wake up!" Suddenly, that fleeting moment of silence passed and Toudou was back to his constant blaring. Like the incessant ringing of an alarm clock. He always warned him first, and in that cautionary tone like a nagging mother, and gave Arakita a minute or two before repeating himself. "Wake up, Arakita! You don't wanna be late to class!"
Shut up. You don't wanna be late. I don't fucking care!
"Get up already! You still need to get dressed and brush your teeth! Arakita!" Toudou approached him and started nudging at the growling lump under the covers. At first Toudou's nudging was tolerable and weak, but it got progressively more and more annoying, and his nudging became pushing and shoving. "You have to eat breakfast too!"
Despite how infuriating his nudging and prodding was, it wasn't enough to pull Arakita out of bed, and Toudou knew that. Frustrated, he grabbed the covers Arakita bundled himself up in and yanked with all his might. The cocoon of blankets fell apart as a groaning Arakita came rolling out. He tumbled onto the floor with a heavy thud, feeling the pinch of cold air against his bare skin and wincing at the light. It was overwhelming, and his body ached from the fall. Arakita was ready to blow a fuse.
That was it — Toudou had a death wish.
"Leave me the fuck alone!" With all the strength he could muster Arakita unleashed his wrath on Toudou and hurled his pillow at him, who yelped and nearly lost his balance. "Shut the hell up! It's so fucking early! Can't you see I'm trying to sleep?"
Defending himself behind the pillow Arakita just threw, Toudou barked back. "You know you can't sleep all day, Arakita!"
"If you weren't here to wake me up all the time, I can!"
"Not only is it bad to skip class, but sleeping too much isn't good for you either! You'll mess with your biological clock! Everyone has a circadian rhythm in their bodies like, it's a sleeping pattern, and it's bad to mess with it! You'll end up feeling drowsy all the time, so you shouldn't stay in bed for so long!"
Great. Another health lesson. Toudou always rambled on and on about fitness even when no one was listening. How to stay in shape, how to maintain the right physical condition, what dietary habits to have, what was a good amount of exercise — typical health tips that could be found in a woman's magazine. Arakita groaned and rolled his eyes. "Who fucking cares!?"
"You should!"
"Toudou, you care more than I do!"
"Well, if you wanna stay on the cycling team, you have to pay attention to your health! And your grades!" He nagged, pointing accusingly at him. "I bet your grades haven't been dropping now since I get you to class. You should be thanking me!"
"The only person who deserves my thanks is Fuku-chan!" Arakita yapped, lifting himself off the ground as he glared at Toudou through narrowed eyes. He muttered to himself, "Fuku-chan lets me copy his homework."
Toudou raised a brow. "If Fuku were here right now, you know he'd agree with me!"
"Don't lump him together with you!"
"You're just saying that because you know I'm right! Admit it!"
"Why the fuck would I ever admit anything to an ugly hag like you? I already know what's good for me!"
"So you admit it!"
"I'm not fucking admitting anything!" Arakita snapped as he stormed over to his closet and angrily grabbed his uniform. "Whatever! I'm up now, aren't I? You don't have to stick around and watch me!"
"Don't flatter yourself! I wasn't planning on it!"
Nevertheless, this was how their mornings usually were. Chaotic. Hectic. Noisy with their pesky arguments. And their bickering was almost always over petty reasons, sometimes for no reason at all! They couldn't help themselves, butting heads, pushing at each other's buttons, quarreling and yelling, getting on each other's nerves. Well, it was Toudou's fault for instigating it. He was the one who started barging into his dorm at ridiculously early hours, badgering him with that snobbish attitude of his. It was maddening. Arakita swore he could tear his hair out in frustration.
How much more of this could he handle, Arakita didn't know.
xxx
The day passed in a blur of aggravation. His cranky grimace pulled him through the classes, scaring the students and teachers away. No one dared to talk to him, deathly afraid of his glowering eyes and his clenched teeth. Even during cycling practice, Fukutomi saw his furrowed eyebrows and ordered him to stay on the rollers, much to Arakita's chagrin. Fukutomi simply said that angry cyclists weren't strong and didn't belong on the road, and with that brief explanation he left, knowing Arakita wouldn't disobey him. And of course he didn't, pedaling furiously on his road racer as the sweat rolled down his skin and dropped to the floor. In the blink of an eye, the day became night.
Growling as he stomped back to the dormitory, he scowled and cursed Toudou under his breath. He knew he wouldn't have been so angry if it weren't for this morning. Waking up to Toudou's nagging was never a good start to his day. It ruined his mood, and his temper grew more and more hostile throughout the day. And on top of that, he was stuck on the rollers, where he vented out his frustration pedaling and pedaling until he got tired of it. All because of Toudou!
Well, not anymore. Tomorrow, he swore things would be different. Little did Toudou know, while he was asleep, Arakita snuck into his room and unplugged that damn alarm clock that roused Toudou at the crack of dawn. And just for good measure, Arakita swiped his phone, turned it off, and hid it in a drawer on the opposite side of his room. Arakita would sleep like a log that night, and he was not gonna have Toudou disturb his slumber the following morning.
xxx
Fluttering his eyes open, Arakita found himself lying in bed. And for once, he didn't feel like shit when he woke up. Refreshed and well-rested, he grinned at the success of his master plan. He was pretty satisfied with the result. It was one of the best nights he'd slept ever since Toudou began his horrible wake-up routine. Yawning and stretching his limbs, he felt rejuvenated after such a rewarding slumber, all ten hours of it.
Bright and clear, the sun loomed overhead. It was comforting. No birds, no blinding sunlight, no nagging Toudou. The room was neither freezing nor scorching, the crisp air nipping at his toes and fingers, and his covers felt snug, a cozy nest of pillows and blankets. Relishing in this triumphant moment, Arakita smirked as he folded his arms behind his head. He shot a glimpse at his clock. Just a smidge past 10:30.
Huh, earlier than usual. Maybe Toudou's punctuality was rubbing off on him.
He cringed at the thought.
Oh, wait. That's right. Toudou. The early bird was probably still sleeping, considering how he hasn't bothered to wake him up or make a fuss about Arakita's little shenanigan. Boy, did he rely on his alarm clock.
"Serves you right." Arakita scoffed. "What're you gonna do now? You jus' missed three hours of class."
Before he could start throwing around insults about Toudou, his conscience interrupted. Guilt emerged from the pits of Arakita's stomach as his conscience grew heavy, the feeling of responsibility urging him to go wake him up. What a pain in the ass. Hoisting himself out of bed, Arakita groaned and threw on the first Hakone Academy uniform he found lying around. He shoved his hands into his pockets and sauntered over to Toudou's room.
For a second, Arakita felt a stroke of excitement upon realizing how Toudou would react to his little scheme. Toudou would totally flip his shit once he found out what had happened. Arakita could just imagine how the whole scenario would unfold. First, Toudou would be in denial and refuse to believe him. But once he glanced over the clock, an expression of absolute terror would form on his face as he realized what time it was. Arakita would feel so victorious then. He would savor that helpless face and commit it to memory. That's what you get. Toudou had messed with him and his precious sleep schedule. It was only natural that he'd return the favor. He deserved it.
Soon enough, Arakita arrived at Toudou's dorm and casually let himself in. Everything was neat and tidy, almost annoyingly well-kept and organized. As he walked in, his nose detected a distinct scent lingering in the room. Although Arakita would hate to admit it, it was a pleasant aroma. Automatically, his strong sense of smell traced it back to its source. He said nothing when it led him to the bed, where Toudou was still sleeping.
"Tch!" He sneered at the sight. "Who needs waking now, huh, Toudou?"
Where there would usually be some lame comeback there was no response. Only silence and Toudou's quiet breathing. Arakita was slightly disappointed that Toudou didn't suddenly jump up and retaliate with a sad attempt to "burn" him. Instead he rested there, peacefully still, leaning a little on his side rather than lying perfectly straight. His chest steadily rose and fell, while strands of his silky hair framed his face, how those dark eyelashes kissed the surface of his cheeks.
Captivated by his expression, Arakita's hungry eyes feasted on the sight. He was drawn to him — hook, line, and sinker — mesmerized by how "Hakone's most beautiful" slept. Arakita's gaze devoured every littlest detail: the smoothness of his fair skin, the softness of those rosy lips, which looked like petals.
Suddenly, Toudou stirred and rolled onto his side. Panic gripped Arakita's heart with an aching ferocity, thumping, racing, leaping into the next century.
And Toudou was motionless again. His lustrous black hair bordered his face, but a few sleek strands managed to glide across his closed eyes, hiding that appealing expression. Without thinking Arakita leaned in towards him, reaching out his hand and gently brushing that glossy hair behind his ear. The only thought that arose was how silky Toudou's hair felt against his skin, how sweet it smelled.
"Sleeping Beauty, huh?"
It was just a self-proclaimed title, nothing more than a name Toudou loved to call himself. But now, that ridiculous name fit him perfectly. Arakita was mildly amused by the thought.
"Kinda hard to believe you're the same self-centered blabbermouth." Arakita murmured as he focused his gaze on that peaceful face. Toudou seemed like a totally different person when he was asleep. Actually, he was pretty cute. Arakita felt his cheeks burn.
What the fuck? Startled, he jumped up and averted his gaze, his face blazing red.
"You're so fucking confusing, Toudou!" Arakita seethed through his teeth, blushing feverishly. "You'll make me think that I might have liked you all along, when I fucking don't! Fuck this!"
And just like that he stormed out, fuming with mixed feelings as his cheeks flared with a sudden shyness. But he must have forgotten — Toudou was a light sleeper.
Had he stayed, he would have seen that peacefully sleeping face flush bright red.
The End
Side Notes:
- adding onto the small number of aratou wowie sobs
- Any comments, criticisms, remarks, or concerns? Drop a quick review! I'd love to hear your opinions! I have no intention to request too much of you, my beloved readers, but allow me to overcome my mistakes with your constructive criticism, supporting me with your kindest words of advice and assistance.