Darkness blossomed early in the winter, making for very long nights. Masayoshi lingered in the aisle of the conbini, looking between bags of chips, and weighed Gotou getting narky at him for buying one each of all the flavors over just getting the usual. Each one had a different member of the Celestial Neon Sigma team on it, and – he needed it. But that was for later, when they had a bigger place so that Masayoshi could expand and start a new collection.
Of course, he probably should let Gotou in on the fact that Masayoshi was intending for both of them to move, because Gotou seemed quite content in his small apartment. Masayoshi settled on one of the flavors with a Celestial Sigma Neon team member on it and stuck it in his basket.
He knew he was running late – he'd called Gotou's phone from the meeting room, and when it rang out to voicemail he wasn't surprised. He left a message anyway, out of habit – sorrysorrysorry i'm just really late i'll be home soon – even though he knew logically Gotou wouldn't get it until morning, when he'd see the missed call.
"Do you and Gotou-kun have any plans for the holidays?" Ishihara had asked idly as they finished up – Masayoshi's modeling contract would overlap with his new political career ("I don't want to be a politician!" "Doesn't seem like you have much choice.") and Ishihara had self-appointed herself as his acting chief of staff. Masayoshi had zero issues with this because he was planning on declining the whole thing anyway, once it got to that point.
(Modeling was more his speed, anyway – it left him time to fight crime, and time to spend with Gotou-san, who needed his support! He wouldn't be able to do any of that easily as President of the World, whatever that position actually entailed.)
"We haven't really talked about it," Masayoshi said. Ishihara was like his big sister, and the first person he'd told when he and Gotou crossed that threshold and actually became a thing. "I don't really know what you're supposed to do."
Ishihara smiled, and Masayoshi shrugged a little, his ears slightly pink. The fact that she approved of their relationship meant a lot to him. "I think you'll figure it out."
"I'm home," Masayoshi called out as he entered the apartment. He didn't see Gotou on the bed, and for a heartbeat worried that he had decided to roam, tonight – but then his head popped around the doorframe, watching Masayoshi intently. "Sorry I'm late, things ran long."
He liked to think that he had a better handle on Gotou-as-a-wolf's expressions now – like that exasperated, amused huff of a noise he made at Masayoshi's expense was more endearing than not. "I brought dinner," Masayoshi said, nodding to the plastic bags on the floor as he wobbled in place pulling his boots off. Gotou trotted over and nosed one open before Masayoshi could stop him. "Hey!"
He emerged holding the package of raw chicken delicately in his jaws, and Masayoshi pitched forward, trying to remove his other boot and swipe the package away from Gotou at the same time. "No, that's for tomorrow," he said, and Gotou growled at him, turning and heading back for the main room.
Masayoshi sighed, and put the plastic bags on the counter as he heard Gotou tear into the packaging hungrily. "If you had told me you'd eat raw chicken, I would have brought some with me sooner," he called. There was a slightly sickening crunch of bone, and Masayoshi shook his head.
"Ishihara-san says hi," Masayoshi told him as he sat down at the table. Gotou was lying on the floor, the wrecked plastic packaging that had once held chicken cast off to the side. Gotou grunted, laying his head across his paws, only an arm's span from Masayoshi. "She asked if we had holiday plans, Gotou-san. Do we?"
Gotou lifted his head and cocked it, staring at Masayoshi. He flicked an ear.
"Well, we haven't discussed it," Masayoshi said. Gotou huffed in response. "Sex is not plans."
He swore that Gotou chuckled, even in wolf form. Masayoshi sighed heavily and stared at the television, which Gotou had clicked on before he'd changed. The weather was on, talking about more snow and frigid temperatures. Masayoshi looked over when Gotou stood up, stretching fully, claws clacking on the tile. "What are you doing?"
Gotou circled the room once, and then headed into the kitchen area. "You better not be drinking from the toilet," Masayoshi yelled, standing up and following.
He stood in the genkan, giving Masayoshi a withering look over his shoulder, that Masayoshi could almost hear the words in his mind. Drinking out of the toilet?Not a dog, Masayoshi! "You're going out?" Masayoshi said, a little disappointed.
Gotou pawed at the door once, looking back at Masayoshi.
"Okay, fine," Masayoshi said. He hesitated before unlocking the door, stooping down to put his arms around Gotou's neck, fur warm and smelling just like him. He kissed the top of Gotou's head, between his ears. "I'll leave the door unlocked," he said, and Gotou whuffled. He didn't look back when Masayoshi cracked the door, slipping out into the darkness like a shadow.
It was kind of funny, how normal it was now. Masayoshi woke slowly to a sun-warmed room, Gotou asleep in the bed next to him. He'd wriggled under the covers without waking Masayoshi – and Masayoshi looked at his sleeping face, hair ruffled in his sleep, and smiled. He must have taken care of business before climbing into bed – but as Masayoshi shifted, he felt Gotou's arousal against his leg and blushed, just slightly.
'Taking care of business' didn't always eliminate morning wood from the picture.
He snuggled in closer, brushing his hand across Gotou's face gently. His eyes opened slowly at firsts – and then snapped open, wide and surprised. Masayoshi jerked back slightly when Gotou wheeled himself partially upright – but then he looked around the room, exhaled, and flumped back into the bed besides Masayoshi.
"Well good morning to you too," Masayoshi said, as Gotou covered his eyes with his arm and groaned.
"Ugh, I feel like I've got a hangover," Gotou muttered, and lifted his arm, squinting at Masayoshi. "It's Tuesday now, right?"
"Yes, it's Tuesday," Masayoshi said, and pinched Gotou's nose shut. "Why'd you leave last night, huh? I was looking forward to using you as a pillow."
"Oi," Gotou said, his voice higher-pitched with his nose pinched shut.
Masayoshi leaned over and kissed him, before releasing his nose. Gotou touched two fingers to his face as if to check for damage, and then sighed, rolling over onto his side so he could face Masayoshi properly. "I went looking for the other wolf," he said, and Masayoshi pinched his nose again. "Ow, 'yoshi!"
"You told me that was dangerous, Gotou-san."
"It is, but I can handle myself." Gotou gripped Masayoshi's wrist, which made him release Gotou's nose. "I just – I don't know, it's too big a city. Maybe there are a lot of wolves out there who stay locked in their apartments, I'd never know."
"So you shouldn't worry about it, then," Masayoshi said simply. "You should stay here and cuddle with me."
Gotou butted his head into Masayoshi's, gently. "I can cuddle with you now," he said, slipping his hand down Masayoshi's side. "We can do other things, too – not just cuddle."
"Yeah," Masayoshi said, as Gotou's hand ranged back and squeezed his ass, through his underwear. "Except that I have to get up and get a shower, I need to be into work today. It's Tuesday."
Gotou let out an impressive whine. "Whose fault is that?" Masayoshi asked, too trained to Gotou's nonverbal clues to be bothered by it. "You ate the chicken I bought for dinner too, you need to go replace that while I'm at work."
He sighed against Masayoshi's neck, and then kissed him. "Not even enough time for a hand job?" he asked, rubbing his naked arousal against Masayoshi's thigh.
"Well," Masayoshi said, feeling the slickness left behind by Gotou's leaking cock. "Maybe a hand job."