8. While Raking (Akazawa/Mizuki)

Mizuki frowned, leaning back against one of the trees in the courtyard, his arms folded across his chest. Why they didn't have a service or custodians or, hell, even the nuns doing this sort of menial slave labor was beyond him. He'd never raked a yard before in his life, there was no way he was going to start now.

"You know, if you move just a little bit faster, you might actually be done by Christmas."

Mizuki's eyes narrowed as he glanced over at the other person. "Did it take you all afternoon to think that up, or did you just get lucky?"

Akazawa grinned from where he was standing, using his own rake to support his weight as he leaned on it. "Got lucky," he said, sticking out his tongue.

Mizuki rolled his eyes. "And why are you standing around, then?" he asked.

"I'm done." Akazawa nodded to the pile of leaves behind him. "Finished my section already. The others are almost done, too."

"Hmm." Mizuki looked over to where the rest of the team was. Honestly, it looked like they were doing more playing than working. They had piles, yes, but they kept jumping in them which was only scattering the leaves all over the place again. "You'd think they were ten years old instead of--"

"Thirteen and fourteen?" Akazawa interrupted, arching an eyebrow.

"…Yes, well." Mizuki smirked, absently twirling his finger around a lock of hair. "Thank you for doing my section, Akazawa-buchou. Feel free to start over here after you've had your little break."

"Excuse me?"

Mizuki smirked some more, stepping away from the tree. "I was assigned this area," he said, walking over to Akazawa's pile. "Sister Mary Howie said you were doing over there." He gestured, complete with dramatic flair, to the tree he'd been standing under, where not one leaf on the ground had been touched since they'd come outside. Well, that was a bit of an exaggeration. There was a small pile near where his feet had been because he'd gotten bored.

Akazawa gaped for a moment, and then turned to Mizuki with narrowed eyes. "You told me I was raking here," he spat.

"Did I?" Mizuki smirked again, leaning forward a bit. "Must have slipped my mind."

Akazawa stared at him for a second, and then before the other boy could stop him he'd reached out, grabbed hold of Mizuki's arm, and yanked sideways. Mizuki went toppling over, landing in the in the pile of leaves with an angry, if somewhat girly cry.

"Sorry," Akazawa said. "My hand slipped."

"Akazawa!" Mizuki snapped, sitting up and brushing leaves off of him. "What do you think you're--"

"Sorry, can't talk now." Akazawa slung his rake over his shoulder. "Must go rake some more leaves."

Mizuki bristled, looking slightly like an angry cat, and kicked out with his leg before Akazawa had a chance to dodge. The other boy went down, landing beside Mizuki with a loud oomph.

"What the hell was that?" he asked, sitting back on his heels.

Mizuki sniffed, turning up his nose. "Just returning the favor."

Akazawa ran a hand through his hair, glaring. "Yeah?" he said. "Return this." He moved forward, pushing Mizuki onto his back, and leaned down to kiss him before the other boy could do anything to stop him.

"Mmmph!!" Mizuki protested, pounding on Akazawa's shoulder. He broke away, eyes wide. "There are people around," he hissed, glancing left and right as if he expected Yuuta or Atsushi to suddenly pop out of the ground.

"Nobody's watching," Akazawa said, slightly exasperated and rolling his eyes.

"You never know," Mizuki said. "The nuns are everywhere."

Akazawa stared at him blankly for a second, and then leaned in to kiss him again. He wasn't surprised when Mizuki kissed him back this time.

"Screw the nuns," Akazawa said when he pulled back.

"Blasphemy!"

"Whatever." He paused, looking at Mizuki. "You have leaves in your hair."

"Your observational skills astound me, Akazawa," Mizuki said, reaching up to flick some hair out of Akazawa's eyes. "Leaves in my hair? How on earth did that happen? It wouldn't happen to be because I'm, oh, currently lying in a giant pile of them, would it?"

"Ha ha," Akazawa said flatly. "You're so witty."

Mizuki smirked. "I know, I was blessed with many extraordinary talents. You'll discover yours someday, I'm sure. Maybe."

"Shut up." Akazawa leaned closer, pretending to look at something in Mizuki's hair. "Oh…"

"What?"

"Um…"

"What?" Mizuki's eyes widened a bit. "What?? What are you looking at?"

"I forgot about the bugs."

"Excuse me?"

"There's a spider in your hair."

"…WHAT?!" Mizuki flew into an upright position, pushing Akazawa out of the way. "Where?! Oh my God, GET IT OUT! AKAZAWA!!"

"Heh."

"THIS IS NOT FUNNY."

"It really kind of is."

"Oh my God, what if it bites me?" Mizuki twisted his hands into his hair and then immediately pulled them back out again. "I could DIE, Akazawa!!"

Akazawa snickered, flopping onto his back.

"I'M NOT SENSING ANY SORT OF URGENCY COMING FROM YOU."

Akazawa waved a hand absently at him. "Joking."

"WHY AREN'T YOU--…what?"

"I was kidding."

"…"

Akazawa grinned. "Ha ha?" he said hopefully.

"…I hate you," Mizuki said, pouting.

"Yeah, sure," Akazawa said flippantly, crossing his arms behind his head.

"You suck."

"Mhmm."

"I'm a million times better than you."

"Of course you are."

Mizuki huffed, and then laid down beside the other boy. "I hate raking."

"You didn't rake anything."

"…That's entirely beside the point."

Akazawa rolled his eyes. "Whatever," he said. He turned onto his side, propping himself up with his elbow, and waited until Mizuki met his eyes.

"What?" Mizuki asked, somewhat warily.

Akazawa grinned. "Nothing." He leaned in, kissing the other boy for a moment, and then pulled back and started to stand up. "Better go finish the rest of the leaves, I guess."

Mizuki frowned, grabbing Akazawa's arm. "Screw the leaves," he said, and then he kissed him again.

FIN