It felt odd typing this lol, I thought one way and then completely did another direction. I was going to drag this out but Takano was like no. It felt like that.


The omelet rice dish is almost gone. Ritsu wondered what was going to happen after he was done. He admittedly wasn't entirely opposed to staying here for the night like Masamune said but... wasn't this weird? Ritsu wanted to tell himself Takano-san is like this with everyone but this was becoming a little too much; he couldn't imagine Masamune forcing Hatori to bed and feeding him.

"You can at least wash dishes right?"

Well, that snapped him out of his thoughts. "Huh?"

"You'd think I was going to feed you and clean up after you too? You're cleaning this plate when you're done."

"O-oh ah, okay!" Ritsu nods frantically, before a thought hit him. Obviously the older didn't mean him actually staying over... right? Yes, he'll just clean up and thank Takano-san before leaving. He supposed that this should have relieved him but he couldn't help but feel maybe a little disappointed that he wouldn't be staying long...

'No, no!' Ritsu stubbornly denied, as he accepted another mouthful of omelet rice. 'Takano-san is just being nice in his own way. He wouldn't have feelings for me.'

He recalled he was off for the rest of the day. 'Ah... maybe I should go to the library to change books? Haitani-san said I owe him dinner for that one day last week, maybe I should go wait for him? Saeki-san might want to come too...'

"Mind telling me what you're thinking about?" He blinks out of his thoughts as Masamune addresses him.

"I... I think I'll go to the library later..." Ritsu mutters coherently through his chewing before swallowing. "After I do the dishes."

"What?" Masamune says, sounding annoyed. Ritsu looks at him questionably. "You're staying here for the rest of the day. You have an overdue book or something?"

"Hah?" Ritsu's brows furrow, confused by this turn of events. Why would his books be overdue? "I live next door- I don't need to stay for the night. I... and I do have a book from the library due today actually!" 'Right? Right?' He couldn't remember; all he knew was that he need to get the other book in the series he was reading.

"Then you're coming back here." It wasn't a wishful guess.

"No. I'm going home... maybe," Ritsu ponders for a moment. "I think I owe Haitani-san dinner."

"HAH?!" Ritsu flusters at the aggravated, questioning tone that came out of Masamune's mouth. "You owe him dinner?"

"H-he offered me to go eat dinner with him last week... I was tired and he paid for me so now I..." He trails off in his line of conversation, intimidated by the look the older man was giving him.

"...You owe me too."

'H-h-huh?!' "E-excuse me?!"

"You owe me a meal too. And I want it tonight so don't even think about going off to see him. And since you suck at taking care of yourself... you're eating a meal with me once a day until I think you're healthy enough."

"HUUUH?!" Ritsu exclaims, distressed and annoyed at these turns of events. "Takano-san, I don't think you realize this but I can very much take care of myself, thank you very much."

"I bet you have only water and energy jelly packs in your refrigerator, which I told you many times not to depend on."

"I-I do not!" The brunet huffs, irritated. "I actually went shopping the other day, for your information."

"To buy more energy jelly-"

"NO I did not, Takano-san."

"Mind if I go see for myself?"

"YES. I do mind, Takano-san."

...

Oh god, he screwed up didn't he? From under his dark bangs, Masamune peered up at Ritsu's pout of a silent treatment. Of course the brunet would mind him going through his fridge. However, he couldn't think of anything else to get further involved with Ritsu. It may annoy the brunet now, but...

Resisting a sigh, he feeds Ritsu another spoonful. He was mindful of how little was left. He had to say something... "Onodera."

"...?" Ritsu reluctantly looks at him, and he couldn't help but feel his heart churn at how wary the younger was towards him. He can't help it if he doesn't know how to do relationships. He's trying as hard as he can for this, for what they can have together. Why doesn't the brunet see that?

'Then again, I probably did scare him away with what happened earlier...'

"How do you feel about me?"

"..! W-wh-what do you mean by that?!" Masamune's eyes widened at that blushed face, before gasping at what happened next.

Seeing the look on the older man's face, he felt himself trembling before feeling the little pat on his head- a little heart making its appearance on the top of his brown locks. Immediately he moved to grab it and hide it away at his side, eyes shut.

However with no response, he peeked to see Takano-san still staring at him with wide eyes, mouth slightly opened. It was as if he was paralyzed. "...T-takano-san?" He then swallows, suddenly wanting to run far, far away. The brunet can feel small tears forming, his lips quivering. Takano-san understood what this meant, didn't he? The older man was more insightful than most people he has met.

Ritsu gasped as the little heart freed itself from his hand, failing to grab it as it hopped away on to the older man's lap. "U-uhhhhn..."

"Onodera..." Masamune whispers, breathing uneven. Oh, how his heart was beating so fast; swallowing, he stares at the little heart on his lap. It seemed to be looking up at him now and- Oh. Masamune felt his whole body stiffen.

Oh.

Ritsu reddens more as the little heart jumped up to kiss the older man's cheek. His mouth was open but nothing came out. He was mortified, hands trembling as he tried to reach out for it before remembering that there was a plate of cold omelet rice on his lap. As quickly as he could, he shakily moves to set the plate on Masamune's nightstand before moving his legs to hang off the bed.

He... he just had to leave. It was hard to escape when his whole body felt unsteady.

He didn't dare glance over at the other as he made his retreat. The only thing on his mind now was to escape.

The door. The brunet's breathing hitches as he felt the door handle, warmed by his hot, sweaty hands.

"..." Ritsu hesitates, an ominous feeling wracking through him; it was telling him to run and stay, contrasting. That's when he noticed the huge shadow looming over him.

When he turned to look, he was met with red and darkness, having become unconscious as Masamune's hearts jumped him. They jumped him so hard he knocked out upon colliding with the door.

A loud thud snapped Masamune out of his trance. Ritsu's little heart in his open hands, he turned quickly to see a huge mass of his hearts, eagerly roving about. "Onodera?!" He spotted the man's brown hair from inside the reddened crowd, eyes widening as the brunet's shirt was discarded out of it.

'Are... are they stripping him?!' Masamune gaped, before rushing, wondering what the hell his hearts were thinking- Oh.

Well, they were his hearts. To be honest he'd probably try to strip Ritsu too at this point.


Ritsu, I'm so sorry.

TBC...