Moment

He could feel the rumble of the train's wheels through his sneakers, a steady vibration that trembled up his legs and resounded deep in his chest. Flat, golden light from the setting sun poured in through the scratched plastic of the train windows, warming the side of his face, turning Eiji's hair to a fiery halo.

Oishi couldn't help a soft smile as he looked down at his friend. Eiji was curled up like a cat on the narrow bench with long legs tucked underneath him, his hands held in loose, sleeping fists on Oishi's shirt, his head making a nest of one of Oishi's broad shoulders. His face, in sleep, was somehow even more open and innocent than when awake, his expression smooth and relaxed, his eyelids lightly closed and fluttering slightly as he slept.

He hadn't questioned it when Eiji had curled up next to him. How could he, when it felt so right, so natural, when Eiji's body was warm and snug against him, tense muscles melting into the embrace, pink lips falling open in a long, contented sigh?

He knew it would be a mistake to read too much into it--Eiji was just being Eiji, and he told himself that had his friend been sharing the train ride with Fuji or Momo or anyone else, he would likely have fallen just as naturally into the same sleepy embrace. It had nothing to do with him, and everything to do with his innocent, affectionate partner. It was nothing special, and it didn't mean anything.

But that didn't mean he couldn't enjoy it.

After one last glance at Eiji's sleep-softened features, Oishi lifted his arms and at last dared to wrap them around Eiji's back and shoulders, his grip at first light, tentative, but soon tightening to a snug, protective hold that pulled Eiji's warm body just a millimeter closer to his own.

"Mm...Oishi..."

He froze, eyes going wide, and would have immediately let go of Eiji if not for the fact that he couldn't seem to move at all. Eiji didn't say anything more, though, and didn't seem inclined to pull away from him, so after a moment, he relaxed. And even though he knew it was asking too much, he reached up to smooth the hair back from Eiji's forehead.

"Gomen," he murmured. "I didn't mean to wake you."

Eiji's answer was sleepy and slow, a lazy exhalation that was either a yawn or a sigh. "Daaaijobu nya, Oishi." He snuggled closer, the tip of his nose brushing lightly against Oishi's neck, his palms slipping around Oishi's sides until his arms circled the taller boy's waist.

It didn't mean anything, he told himself, and tried to ignore the sudden pounding of his heart, the slight quickening of his breath at what now seemed like a painfully intimate closeness, Eiji's arms around him and his around Eiji, Eiji's head pillowed on his shoulder, their bodies molded together so he could feel the shift of Eiji's ribs as he breathed.

And it wasn't as if they were alone on the train, either. People could see them, might very well be staring at them, wondering, speculating...

"Oiiishiiii."

He snapped out of his thoughts to glance down at his friend, noticing that one dark blue eye had squinted open to look at him. Eiji's lips were pursed into a pout, his lower lip jutting out childishly.

"Mou," Eiji complained, shifting around as if trying to get comfortable. "I can't use you for a pillow if you're going to worry about stuff."

The words didn't quite make sense. He frowned and shook his head. "What?"

"Nyaa, you were all relaxed and soft before, but now you're all tense. Worry about stuff later, nya? I'm tiiiiired."

He felt a smile tugging at his lips, but didn't answer right away. Suddenly, he couldn't help relaxing. The sun was warm and steady on his skin, its glow deepening to bronze as evening neared, and Eiji was wrapped in his arms, sharing the rhythm of his breath, holding just as tightly as he was being held.

That was when he knew.

It was special, and it did mean something.

Oishi let out a long, slow breath and felt the last of the tension melt from his body. Under the golden haze of the sunset and the lull of the train's motion, he found himself closing his eyes, leaning his cheek gently on top of Eiji's head, and letting himself drift.

If people were staring, if someone they knew saw them, if they missed their stop...it didn't matter.

He wasn't worried at all.

japanese glossary:
nya - one of eiji's nonsense words, inserted randomly and periodically
gomen - sorry
daijobu - it's all right
mou - roughly equivalent to "geeez…"