A/N: Thanks for reading! I have a lot more SouMako fics on my AO3 account (link on my profile) I'm just very lazy when it comes to cross-posting!

Chapter Seven

To Makoto it seemed too early for what seemed the largest pizza possible loaded with so many toppings that he could barely see the cheese underneath but it wasn't to Sousuke. But then he thought about Haru who grilled fish at ridiculous times in the morning in his apron and boxer shorts and pizza at nearly 11.00 am did not seem quite so bad.

The pizza place was not really a restaurant, he guessed it was just a take-out place but there was one plastic table with sticky plastic chairs and this was where they were sat. When Sousuke walked in, the guy behind the counter greeted him with enthusiasm, complaining that he'd not seen either Sousuke or Rin for a few days and Makoto wondered how often Sousuke ate pizza. Sousuke had done some form of handshake that while wasn't as extreme as the one he did with Rin but it still spoke of familiarity and friendship.

"This is Makoto, Gorou," Sousuke had said, inclining his head in Makoto's direction. "The guy who sent in the crush thing."

The guy had gave a hearty laugh and smiled. "So you're Mr. Green Eyes and Glasses."

Makoto hadn't know what to say to that and he felt himself blushing from the scrutiny as Gorou looked him up and down but Sousuke grabbed hold of his shoulder and steered him towards the plastic table. "Usual," he'd ordered and the guy sighed and muttered under his breath but went in the back to prepare the pizza.

The pizza was delivered to the table and Gorou gave another enthusiastic smile. "Best pizza in Tokyo, Makoto. Enjoy!"

It seemed he wanted to stay longer and hover but as Sousuke grabbed a slice, he sent a withering glare and the guy put his hands up in a way that said "okay" and mumbled about doing some stock take in the backroom. He got it – Makoto wouldn't have wanted to be overheard by someone he knew, not when he and Sousuke barely knew each other and were on some kind of unconventional date. Tattooing in the morning followed by pizza was not the sort of thing most people did but Makoto had enjoyed it as he grabbed a slice, his stomach growling when he smelt the cheese and meat, the hint of anchovies.

It was good pizza – hardly the best in Tokyo, Makoto guessed but the fact it was fully loaded with plentiful toppings made sure it tasted good and he took a big bite remembering he'd not managed to eat anything when he'd had to rush from his shared apartment.

"It's not the best but Gorou's a good guy," Sousuke said with a shrug of his shoulder and Makoto saw him wince from the slight move.

"It's good," Makoto replied through a mouth full, swallowing it as his voice had been muffled and then wiping a hand across his lips. "Does it hurt?"

Sousuke looked up sharply then, his eyebrows knitted. "Huh?"

"The tattoos," Makoto clarified as it seemed Sousuke had been confused. "I saw you wince and…"

With a small smile, Sousuke took a large bite of pizza and then wiped a napkin across his face, before he clasped his hands together and leaned a little over the table.

"A little, they need to heal and it hurts more in the aftermath but that's life, right? Things tend to hurt more after the moment."

Sousuke's eyes were serious then and Makoto met them seeing how soulful they seemed, an interesting blue when not covered by aviator shades, when there wasn't the distraction of his hood over his head or the headphones around his neck.

"But maybe you should find out," Sousuke teased, leaning back and grabbing another slice of pizza, "Rin is one of the best. You'd look good with ink."

"I don't think…" Makoto said and he felt flustered again as Sousuke had complimented him and somehow it just made him want to blush and he hated that. He needed to get some damn confidence and stop being mentally screwed by this guy with the tattoos and the soulful eyes and the smallest sexiest smile. "I'm going to be a teacher. I don't think it would go with the career."

"Guess not."

Sousuke's tone was dismissive and Makoto wondered if he'd offended him. He knew he didn't know anything about tattoos but he did know they generally weren't thought of as professional. Even if they were incredible and beautiful, tracing Sousuke's skin and following the curves and lines of his body perfectly. He'd admired that when he'd been laid on the reclining chair, when Rin had been leaning over and inking his skin with dedication and a steady hand.

"They're beautiful," Makoto added and looked down at the pizza.

"Not a lot of people think that," Sousuke said softly and he sat back, pizza disbanded.

Makoto wasn't sure whether to apologise as he'd already seemed to have said things he didn't mean to but he supposed that was dating. This wasn't his ex where he knew everything, where there was nothing to learn about each other – this was new and exciting and just looking at Sousuke and being opposite him made something in Makoto's stomach flip. It wasn't just the way he looked, he discovered as they talked, it was that there was something else to him. He guessed he'd caught a glimpse at the karaoke club, his voice rough and raw and perfect for the hushed rock ballad and now he was seeing it again. A glimpse before he composed himself.

"A teacher, huh? Must be hard studying and working at that club."

"It is," Makoto started and he proceeded to explain how hard his classes were and how he was soon going to be doing work experience within schools and how he had to balance it all with needing to work. After five minutes, Makoto had already explained a lot about himself, that he was from a small town, that he found Tokyo large and intimidating and that he was living with a slightly quirky roommate who grilled fish early in the morning. But Sousuke listened – really listened and it was the first person he'd spoken to properly since he'd come to Tokyo.

Yeah, he'd made friends – Haru, Nagisa – but Makoto had felt so isolated, struggling to mix work and studying and doing his laundry and eating and he couldn't really admit it to anyone. But to the guy he'd just met, he had.

"Sorry," Makoto said after he realised he'd just verbally vomited, shrugging his shoulders and cocking his head, giving a slight smile. "I guess I told you everything about me. I didn't give you chance to say anything about yourself."

The pizza was gone, Makoto surprised that they'd managed it between them but then they were both big guys and Makoto couldn't remember the last time he'd had something unhealthy and filling.

"Don't be," Sousuke reassured, "there isn't much to tell."

Makoto didn't care if there wasn't much to tell, he was sure there was underneath the cool exterior as if there was something underneath that surface he wanted to keep concealed but he realised he didn't have the time to get to know Sousuke. As his phone buzzed then, a message from Nagisa about how Rei was covering his evening shift and so he'd see him later in the week but the message made him realise the time. He needed to get to class, he needed to sit in the lecture hall and listen about child psychology and even though he wanted to stay with Sousuke he couldn't. He just hoped this wasn't it – the one stupid and unconventional date.

"You gotta go?"

Looking up, Makoto nodded seeing Sousuke's searching glance and his hair fell into his eyes and he pushed it back automatically with his hand. "I've got class. Child psychology."

"Go… I'll text you."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I could always walk you to class, if you want?"

Smiling, Makoto nodded and he grabbed for his bag, slinging it over his shoulder. Sousuke said goodbye to Gorou who appeared from the back then, giving a small wink to Sousuke and Makoto could see him roll his eyes at the guy's actions.

As they walked out of the door, Makoto realised they'd not paid and he grabbed for Sousuke's arm feeling the strength in his forearm as he touched him even through the thick material of his hoodie.

"We didn't pay."

"Doesn't matter, he owes me."

Makoto felt a blush rise in his cheeks again as he figured out he was still holding Sousuke's arm and he let go, putting his hands in his pockets as they began to walk together down the streets, making their way to the campus. They didn't speak but then that felt reassuring as Makoto had already done a lot of talking, he liked the fact that Sousuke didn't seem to fill silence with meaningless words and it was oddly comforting.

When they arrived at the university, Sousuke stopped and Makoto paused with him, both of them looking at one another awkwardly. It hadn't been a "date" as such but then they'd had food and Makoto had seen Sousuke half-naked so it was better than most people's dates. Maybe it was the matter of how to say goodbye that made Makoto awkward, he wasn't sure if it was the same for Sousuke as he seemed to have an innate confidence. But then they were stood outside the walls that surrounded the buildings that clumped together to form the education department and Sousuke was getting some looks as people passed by and Makoto didn't like that some people judged him. Purely because of the beautiful ink that was embedded into his skin. And so when someone else pointed, Makoto decided to act and he stepped forward.

He knew that he was being a bit reckless and Sousuke may not want this but Makoto had gone through so damn much with this guy already that he was not going to pass the opportunity up. With a hand reaching for Sousuke's hair at the back of his head, Makoto leaned forward, the slight height different meaning he titled his head ever so slightly as he pressed their lips together gently, barely more than a touch.

If Sousuke's tattoos and holes in his ears garnered attention, Makoto was sure two guys kissing in front of the gates to the university would gain more but he didn't care as he pulled back and let his hand drift back to his side.

"Uh… text me?" Makoto asked, his voice wavering as he tried to retain some cool.

"Yeah… sure," Sousuke answered and for the first time he didn't seem as composed, his hand scratching at the back of his head at the spot where Makoto had touched.

With a dorky wave that Makoto almost wanted to slap himself for, he turned and walked towards the library intending to pick up a book prior to his class but in a daze from the mornings date. He turned once to check whether Sousuke had gone but instead of walking away, he was watching him, his sunglasses covering his eyes and headphones covering his ears but still stood there. Makoto didn't wave again, only smiled broadly as he attempted to calm his heartbeat before he had to listen to a dull lecture by a dull professor. He had to forget the gentle press of Sousuke's lips, the feel of his silky dark hair and he had to forget his toned inked body and that smile.

As if he thought about that, there was no way he was going to learn anything in class.