.

-:-

2. Mightyena

"Yo, Nanase. You seen my teal shirt?"

"Hm?"

Sousuke heads out to the balcony of their cramped apartment, where he finds Haruka doting over the neighborhood Shinx and –

Oh.

Haruka is wearing his favourite shirt and nothing else, the thin cotton hanging loosely over his lithe body and nearly slipping off his shoulders. Sousuke notes the bite marks on Haruka's otherwise flawless skin with some satisfaction. The older man had complained about the marks once before, ears flushed with embarrassment, that Sousuke left them in places that were too damn noticeable. Well, Sousuke thinks smugly, he hadn't complain last night.

Anyways, Sousuke doesn't look too deep into the shirt theft. Makoto tells him that Haruka's always been fond of sharing (stealing) other people's clothing. Another one of his weird, most definitely not endearing, quirks. It certainly doesn't mean anything.

"Quit staring, Yamazaki."

Sousuke flushes and turns away. "I wasn't staring, dumbass. Rin's ego is rubbing off on you."

"Perv,"Haruka says simply and goes back to petting the Shinx, which is stretching lazily on his lap. His face is impassive, but Sousuke can see the amused glint in those stunning ocean-blue eyes.

"You do realize I'm gonna need that shirt back."

Sousuke can feel Haruka's gaze back on his shirtless body, eyes moving intently over his defined abs, his wide chest.

"…You look better without the shirt."

Sousuke blinks dumbly; a compliment from Haruka is rarer than a Mirage Island sighting. He's convinced Haruka hadn't meant to say that out loud.

"Who's the pervert now?" he finally says, trying to come off cool and nonchalant, even though his heart is hammering in his chest. As Sousuke had hoped, the older man's blank stare morphs into an irritated frown.

"Whatever." Haruka is suddenly extremely interested in the Shinx napping on his lap.

Sousuke is planning to tease him further when he hears a low growl from behind him. His diligent Mightyena, daily newspaper in his mouth, has pattered over and spotted the Shinx.

The Dark-type's ears are twitching in irritation and Sousuke bends down to pet the growling canine, trying to placate him. A good host doesn't let his guests get eaten after all.

"Relax boy," Sousuke coos. On most days the Dark-type is the model of good domestic behaviour. But bring a feline anywhere near him, and the dog loses it. That had almost been a deal breaker for Haruka. "The Shinx isn't gonna hurt anyone."

He's thinking he has the situation under control when Mightyena suddenly springs forward, claws outstretched. The Shinx shrieks and jumps out of Haruka's lap, fires a bolt of lightning and scampers away.

Sousuke spends the morning treating a whimpering Mightyena's burns as Haruka makes them breakfast. Fried Magikarp. Again.

His favourite teal shirt, stained with ash and smelling of ozone, goes into the wash.