"Hey, Shin-chan, I'm sorry for the last minute change, but do you think we could study at your place? Kazuha decided on an impromptu sleepover with all her friends and they're gonna be making noise all night."
Shintarou pinches his eyebrows in displeasure.
"I'm afraid that won't do. I told you before, Mother is hosting a family reunion that I have no desire to attend, spending the night to study with you was the only excuse that would be considered acceptable because we had a previous commitment. If we did it in my house, my aunts and uncles would surely find a way to force me to take part. We'll just have to shut your door and ask your sister to be considerate. She tends to be way more reasonable than you, it shouldn't be a problem."
He hears Takao laugh on the other end of the line.
"Okay, if you insist. Can't wait to see you."
Shintarou's only response is a grunt, and he's glad Takao isn't there to see the blush on his cheeks.
"Okay, Big Bro, my friends and I will try to stay quiet and I'll throw in an extra 'won't tell Mom about the dirty things you do with Shin-chan-san', but you'll owe me."
Kazunari blushes beet red, his face burning. "Shin-chan and I don't do dirty things!" he squawks, indignantly.
His sister looks at him incredulously and waves her hand before turning heel and skipping down the stairs to continue preparing for her slumber party. Kazunari isn't sure what scares him more: that she already has such a strong grasp of the concept of black-mail or that, at age 12, she believes her older brother was occupied doing "dirty things".
It isn't a lie, though. He and Shin-chan have been officially dating for six months, but they haven't crossed any of the usual "milestones" that couples seemed to go through. No holding hands, no kissing, and definitely no "dirty things". They've gone on a couple of understated dates and their shoulders brushed against each other when they walked side by side. Nothing else.
He doesn't actually talk about that with anyone, firstly because he knows Shin-chan is very private and wouldn't like to have random people being privy to their relationship, and secondly because, like Kazuha, most people probably wouldn't believe him. For inexplicable reasons, everyone seems to believe he was a filthy pervert that would deflower the pure and innocent ace of Shuutoku at the first given chance.
Contrary to what most people believe, though, Kazunari is perfectly okay with how their relationship currently is. He loves Shin-chan, dearly, and knows Shin-chan loves him too. And because he's so confident in their mutual feelings, he enjoys taking things slowly. There is something pleasant about relishing in every little moment, learning to read the smallest gestures, feeling so fulfilled and happy just from seeing that little smile that Shin-chan reserves just for him. Of course, if Shin-chan ever said he wanted more, Kazunari would be happy to comply, but for now he's more than content with letting things fall into place on their own.
Kazunari is quick to usher Shin-chan into his room as soon as he arrives, not wanting to get mixed with the crowd of middle school girls or come within range with his sister's teasing glances. He certainly doesn't want Shin-chan to know Kazuha thinks they're engaging in illicit activities, it would make their evening awkward.
"I'm really sorry about the last minute change, I didn't know Kazuha was planning all this." He apologizes, plopping down by the low table they use to study, on which he's already prepared his textbooks.
"It couldn't be helped." Shin-chan says simply, sitting down next to him, barely a couple inches separating them. Kazunari knows it wasn't a particularly intentional act for the sake of seeking bodily closeness, but rather that their relationship is at a point in which it feels simply natural to share so much space. He smiles, relaxing into the casual warmth. "You said you needed help with limits." Shin-chan adds, lightly flipping through the pages of his own textbook.
Kazunari grins. They're perfect just like this.
Their studying session went on without any particular incident and Kazunari was able to successfully complete the problems he'd been missing while Shin-chan studied a little ahead for next week's class, because Shin-chan likes to be overly-prepared like that. Kazuha kept her word and no noise from her slumber party ever reached Kazunari's room. They had dinner in the kitchen with his parents (his mom adored Shin-chan) while the girls feasted on ice cream and cookies in the living room and everything was going perfectly.
Then it was time to sleep.
"Oh dear, I hadn't thought of it but Kazuha and the girls are occupying the guest room and the extra futons. We don't have anywhere to fit Shintarou-kun." His mom explains, hand to her cheek.
Shin-chan sighs. "That's fine, my place is not that far away, I can still go back home."
"What? No!" Kazunari shrieks, indignant. "It's almost midnight, it's not safe! And it's freezing outside!"
His mom hums. "Well, there's the couch on the living room, but I think the girls spilled ice cream on it." Then her face lights up, as if she just got the most brilliant idea. "Or you could share Kazu's bed. The mattress is a double so you should both fit, no problem."
Kazunari's face burns so hot he almost didn't notice the way Shin-chan went completely stiff next to him. But he does. Notice.
This is terrible.
They've been sitting on the edge of Kazunari's bed for, perhaps, thirty minutes, in complete silence. His mom brought an extra pillow and let Shin-chan borrow one of his father's baggy t-shirts, about twenty minutes ago, so there was no going back on this now. "I'm afraid we don't have any spare blankets, but we just changed Kazu's, so they should be clean." She had chirped lightly, to which Shin-chan could do nothing but nod.
"I could…" Kazunari begins, his own voice deafening over the heavy silence. "I could sleep on the floor." He offers meekly.
"Nonsense." Shin-chan replies sharply. "If anything, I should be the one sleeping on the floor."
Kazunari yelps, mortified. "Absolutely not Shin-chan I'd neve—"
"I don't…particularly mind though."
"It's not about minding or not the floor's too—"
"I mean… sharing. I don't mind sharing."
That gives him pause.
Oh.
"But if you do mind, I really can—"
"No! No, no!" he shrieks, his hands flailing. "I don't…" his face is in flames. "I don't mind sharing either. I just thought Shin-chan would feel uncomfortable. I don't want that." His voice goes a little quiet at the end.
Shin-chan's breath catches, almost inaudibly, and his eyes soften the tiniest bit. His expression turns tender in a way Kazunari knows no one else but him would recognize. He takes pride in that.
They watch each other breathe in silence, cheeks rosy, and undefinable tension hanging over them. Their knees brush slightly and they let out shaky exhales.
"Okay."
"Okay."
Without having to say anything else, they find their way under the covers, Shin-chan closest to the wall. Kazunari lies flat on his back, staring at the ceiling, his heart hammering inside his chest. From the corner of his eye, he can see Shin-chan is in the exact same position. His eyes follow the contours of Shin-chan's profile: his strong jaw, his soft lips, his pointed nose and up to his lovely eyes and his long, long eyelashes. Kazunari loves the way they flutte every time Shin-chan blinks. Shin-chan really had the prettiest eyes on Earth.
Suddenly, Shin-chan's gaze finds his, and they startle, turning away from each other in embarrassment. Kazunari wants to smother himself in his pillow.
"G-good night Shin-chan." He squeaks.
"Good night, Takao."
Of course, there's just no way he can actually sleep like this, he finds. The bed feels warmer with the heat of Shin-chan's body under the covers, but at the same time, the three inch gap between them feels like an icy abyss. He knows Shin-chan is just beside him, but he can't feel him and for the first time, the distance seems unbearable. He only now realizes how much he's taken it for granted, being allowed to stay so close to Shin-chan all the time. Just a few moments ago their knees were touching the tiniest bit and it was perfect, but now it feels there's a whole ocean between them.
He hates this. His back is cold. A shiver climbs up his spine.
He hears the rustle of bedsheets and feels the tugs on his blankets as Shin-chan shifts.
Suddenly, there's no distance at all, just a body lightly pressed against his back, radiating heat.
Kazunari's heart stutters.
"Takao…" Shin-chan's voice quivers. "Can I…?"
He burns inside.
"Yes."
Shin-chan shifts a little more. Kazunari can feel Shin-chan's knees curled right against his, Shin-chan's toes grazing his heel, Shin-chan's hand lightly pressed between his shoulder blades, Shin-chan's exhale warm and soft on his hair.
"Is this okay?"
Suddenly the burn inside him pales in comparison to the burn on his skin, on every spot that Shin-chan touches.
"Yes."
There's a pregnant silence. Shin-chan's breathe rustles the hair on top of his head.
"Good. I was cold."
Kazunari feels himself float and flutter and melt inside. He wiggles just a little, until the back of his thighs bump against Shin-chan's knees. Their breathing synchronizes and he can feel the rise and fall of Shin-chan's chest on his back.
He hums, eyes heavy, a smile growing on his lips, his mind sinking into the comforting warmth.
"Me too."
The end
This is a super super horribly inexcusably late reward fic for bmouse, I'm really truly sorry that it took so long and I hope you'll like it and that the long wait will feel at least a little bit worth it. And thank you so much for your support, it means a lot, even if I've been horribly tardy with this.
I kind of wanted them to spoon, but because their relationship is still so delicate and soft here, I didn't want them to like be all tangled limbs and hugs and entwined legs and shit. Because they're taking it very slow, I wanted even this kind of impromptu moment to be very tentative, barely even actually touching. I kind of like the way it came out.
Let me know what you all think about it!