Tender & Wild (SS23 for Lap)
‘Twas the night before winter break, as we approached the girls’ dorm
We were all there to partake, Of camaraderie most warm
“I’m just saying; the math doesn’t add up!” Takashi protested as the four of us made our way across the snowy quad towards the girls’ dorms. My clubmate was being his usual ornery self but that was understandable. While we each have our burdens to bear, those of us with chronic conditions have it the worst so I don’t begrudge his griping.
“Not all of us are looking to hook-up tonight, Maeda…” Hisao rolled his eyes, holding his arms out in protest, his hands firmly in his jacket pockets. The wind caught his splayed open jacket and pushed him back slightly. He quickly closed his jacket and shivered a little. “I’m just thankful I’m not gonna spend winter break alone here.”
“I hear that. Not all of us have happy home lives to go back to and I, for one, would rather spend it with people I actually care for!” Akio huffed, trailing slightly behind us and navigating the freshly falling snow with a little more care than those of us without hollow bird bones.
True to form; our class joker had gone the extra mile and worn a set of foam antlers and light-up red nose. I stop and wait a little for our red-headed reindeer to catch up, the other two stopping once they notice my bulk absent from our line-up. Akio shoots me a smile and I pat his back gently, encouraging him forward.
“Come on, Rudolph.” I smile warmly before addressing the group as a whole. “Now, remember; best behaviour in there. The girls didn’t have to invite us over but we’re going to be gracious guests and we’re not going to be fucking weirdoes, right?”
An assortment of mutterings came from the boys so I cleared my throat and repeated myself for emphasis. “Right?”
“Yes, Taro…” The reply came in unison as we entered the girls’ dorms.
“Hey guys! Glad you could make it!” The cheery Chiharu Kumamoto called out from the near-empty girls’ dorm common room. Chi is also one of my clubmates and was gracious enough to extend an invite when she heard that the four of us would be the only ones from the boys’ dorms left over winter break.
Chi was one of only three, however; Natsume and Hanako from my class were also going to be staying through winter break for their own obvious reasons but I think this little get-together will alleviate all our yuletime blues somewhat.
The area around the TV had been claimed by the trio of girls. The two sofas pulled to form something of a semi-circle, or maybe even a triangle with the TV and the two sofas as its points. With all the assorted blankets, duvets, and scattered pillows; you’d be forgiven in thinking the girls were either having a sleepover or building forts.
Honestly; those both sound like fun but I doubt my rep would survive such an admission. In the centre of the chaos sat a large round table, catered with an assortment of drinks and snacks with a large bowl of liquid in the centre.
“We didn’t know you’d be putting on a spread!” Akio offers the grocery bag of large soda bottles and snacks, placing it delicately amongst the goodies provided by our distaff hosts.
“We th-thought it’d be a n-nice surprise…” Hanako meekly offered from one of the comfier bean bags, just off to the side of the sofa to my left. Hanako’s eyes locked onto Akio as he sat down on the sofa opposite her.
As I called my seat on the sofa next to Hanako, I watched Akio’s face figuratively light-up when he noticed her looking and quickly pressed a button on his plastic nose, which literally lit up with a flashing red light.
Hanako’s child-like mirth warmed my heart. Christmas was always pretty lonely at my home even with my loving step-mother, so to see my school family embrace the silliness of the season really put me in the mood to party, even if partying for this bunch was watching terrible holiday movies.
“Hi, Chi! How’s things?” Takashi asked, making a bee-line for Chiharu and putting on a much more friendly attitude than he had outside. Seems he’s marking his territory early doors but, luckily for him, I know Chi has had her own designs on him for a while.
“Things are good, Takashi! Even better now you guys are here. Nattie’s been itching to get started.” Chi smiles coyly over to the Newspaper Chief, whose ears prick up at the mention of her name after making small-talk with Hisao.
“Seriously; I have some utter dreck to show you guys; it’s going to be great!” Natsume beams, bouncing up and off the sofa. With the opposite sofa occupied by Akio, Takashi, and Chiharu and ours hosting Natsume, Hisao, and myself, with a Hanako hanger-on; we await the first awful holiday movie that Nattie has in mind.
We were invited thus, we were nary prepared
For what would await us, for what would be shared
As Hanako scoops another cupful of punch into a plastic tumbler, the taste reminds me of something… There’s a familiar warm sensation to the fruity concoction that reminds me of the misspent summer of my second year. I taste apple, orange, cranberry, hints of spices…
And bourbon!
My realisation sends my eyes wide as I glance over to Taro on the sofa opposite, who is thoughtfully swirling the punch around in his mouth. He seemingly connects the dots and looks over to me, our shared acknowledgement unspoken to the rest of the group.
One of the girls spiked the punch!
I mean, it would have to be one of them! None of us guys were here when it was made and none of us made a move for it until Hanako started serving it up. It couldn’t have been Hanako, surely… She’s too… Innocent?
“Is something wrong, Akio?” Natsume asks as she gladly accepts the tumbler from Hanako and I freeze. What the hell do I do? Do I say something? Do I accuse them? Think quicker, Akio!
“Nuh-no! Just, ah, trying to figure out where I know that actress from!” I laugh awkwardly, gesturing towards the movie.
“I know what you mean! She’s one of those you see in a bunch of stuff but can never place.” Taro adds like the bro he is, saving my ass once again.
“This is delicious, guys! What is it?” Hisao asks and again, I look at Taro. Is it okay for Hisao to be drinking? Granted, he only fell into my orbit after I found him drinking whiskey on the roof but still…
“It’s called Wassail; Molly taught me how to make it last year!” Natsume offered with a grin. An almost knowing grin. If she made it, it had to be her… “It’s like apple cider but with a bunch of citrus, brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger.”
“It’s super yummy!” Takashi says with a grin before double-guessing what just came out of his mouth by repeating it quietly with a frown; much to Chiharu’s amusement.
“It super is.” She smirks, clonking her plastic tumbler against his. Seems she likes his dorky side. Back on topic, maybe Natsume made it but Chi put in the bourbon? Warm cider with spices would generally hide the bourbon for the uninitiated and only me and Taro seemingly know it’s there.
“I th-think it’s very f-festive. Makes me feel m-merry, anyway.” Hanako beams, her cheeks a little flush but I’m not sure if that’s from her inherent shyness or the booze. I definitely don’t think Hanako should be drinking either.
“It’s very festive. Cheers.” Taro smiles down at our classmate and toasts with her. Argh, am I have to be the responsible one here? I hate being the responsible one…
“Akio! Do the nose again! Hanako thinks it’s funny.” Taro calls over to me and, after seeing Hanako’s expectant gaze, I realise I can’t be the responsible one. At least not while I’m dressed like a reindeer. I push the button on the nose that sets off the light, garnering cheers from both Taro and Hanako. I chuckle and shake my head. If you can’t beat them; out-drink them.
The movie comes to a finish and I observe how everyone is holding up. Taro and I have a higher tolerance than most of the others though Hanako seems to be keeping pace which is fascinating to me. She’s a little less stammer-y which is neat and she’s been actively talking to Taro a whole bunch.
Natsume and Hisao have slunk down into the couch a little, fully relaxing as they add their own little jokes to the movie.
Chi and Takashi, though… Well, they might think they’re being subtle by wrapping a blanket around them but I know they’re probably doing a little more than holding hands.
I get up from my spot and find the punch bowl looking a very empty. Shame, I was getting a nice buzz going.
“Damn, looks like I’m switching to the soda!” I announce, rustling open the bag that we brought with us. A chorus of Aww’s comes from several of the group but Natsume sits up excitedly.
“Hold your horses, Red! We’re out of punch but we’re not out of drink!” She grins as she stands. It was her. Shoulda known… She gets up and slinks around the back of the couch, making her way towards a suddenly frightened Hanako. “I need to tell you all something but I want you to promise not to be mad…”
“Natsume, y-you s-said we wouldn’t go overboard!” She quietly protests but Natsume leans behind Hanako, reaching towards a pile of pillows.
“Sorry, Hanako, but I think they ought to thank the person responsible for such a cheery atmosphere…” Natsume says in a weirdly husky tone, a little too close to Hanako. “Everyone; I need to tell you all that the punch was made with more than just my love, it was made with…!”
She stands to her full height, revealing a half-empty bottle of amber liquid with a flourish. “The best whiskey Taro’s money can buy!”
“You son of a bitch! You’ve been holding out on me!” I wheel on Taro immediately with an accusatory finger. “You said you didn’t have any money!”
“I don’t! Not now, at least.” Taro chuckles before throwing an exasperated look toward Natsume. “For a Newsie, you’re real bad at hiding your sources, Nattie… And I thought the punch was going to be the extent of it.”
“C’mooon, Taro! What’s the point in getting the good stuff and not drinking it all?” Natsume hops over Hanako’s legs and stumbles a little, clearly feeling the effects. She rights herself, laughing as she holds her free hand out for balance. “I’m okay, I’m okay!”
She sidles up to me and bumps me out of the way with her hip. She fills my tumbler with a shots-worth of bourbon then the rest with soda. She then fixes a similar drink for herself. She picks both up and hands one to me.
“Thanks.”
“No problem.” She winks at me before jostling the bottle. “Who else wants one?”
While Natsume plays host, I glance back at my seat and decide I’d rather not be sitting next to the lovebirds. I’m halfway to taking Natsume’s seat when she calls out to me.
“Oi! I’m sitting there!” She protests as Hanako holds both hers and Taro’s tumblers steady.
“Not anymore!” I jeer as I plop down next to Hisao, who looks at me then snorts with laughter.
“Hisao! Tell him to move!” Natsume whines, pouting, but I swing my legs up and fold them across Hisao’s lap.
“On your feet lose your seat, loser.” I stick my tongue out at her. I glance sideways at Hisao, curious to see how he’s reacting to me being so familiar with him and he seems chill about my legs being on him. Not that I’d expect anything less. Outside of Taro, Hisao is one of my best friends and I’m so glad he accepts all of me.
“Fine, guess I’ll put on the next movie and sit with Chi and Taka!” Natsume pouts at me before taking up my former spot.
“That’s not only a great idea; it might just be the greatest idea you’ve ever had!” I point across Hisao’s face at Taro, who is a god damn genius.
“I was kidding, Akio!” Taro laughs, holding the now empty bourbon bottle but as Hanako clears the table of it’s contents, it’s clear she agrees with me. I always knew I liked her for a reason. She’s game for shenanigans and what’s more shenana-nanigan-y than spin the bottle!? Nothing!
“I dunno, that sounds like fun, doesn’t it?” Chi adds, mostly looking at Takashi. I swing my pointing arm around to the other couch, my legs rolling over Hisao’s.
“Yes, Chi! Takashi’s in too!” I adjust my point and the boy in the beret shakes his head with a smirk.
“I’m not gonna poop on the party. Wait…” Takashi realises what he’s said and frowns. My point next goes to Natsume, who is soundly asleep.
“Lightweight! Hisao!” My attention snaps to the boy whose lap I’m mostly in. “You’re in!”
“I guess so.” He purses his lips through a smirk. Good boy.
Hanako, in the meantime, has been a busy little beaver and cleared the table and sat near the TV with cheekiest, expectant smile. I’m happy she’s joining in. The rest of us slide off the couches and position ourselves around the table. Without Natsume, Chi offers to sit opposite Hanako so the spread of girls and boys is a little more even.
“Since it was my idea; I guess I’ll go first.” Taro places the bottle in the centre of the table, hand ready to spin. “If the bottle points to you; you have a choice of truth or dare. If you choose and then decide not to do it, you have to do the other. Everyone cool with that?”
We let the bottle decide, all slaves to fate
We gambled with our pride, for an evening less sedate
The bottle span and span and eventually settled on me. The excitement to play with friends suddenly overwhelmed me as Taro said my name.
“Hanako.”
I let out an ‘eep’ which makes the others laugh but Taro looked at me with a soft smile. He’s going to take it easy on me because I’m the first. He’s nice like that.
“Truth.” I nod, firm in my decision.
“What’s your favourite colour?” He asked, looking down his nose a little at me with an expectant look. Okay, I was expecting a soft ball question but that’s softer than his belly.
“Boo! Lame!” Akio jeers and I can’t help but smile.
“I… Like y-yellow.” I offer and Taro seems satisfied but Akio doesn’t as I take my turn.
“Hope you’ve got something better, Hana. That was weak sauce, Taro!”
“This is my first time playing; I didn’t wanna push anyone too far!”
“T-Takashi.” I interrupt, the bottle settling on the beret-wearing boy from our class.
“Truth.” He sits bolt upright, looking very nervous. He ought to be as I glance over at Chiharu.
“Do you h-have a crush on Chiharu?” I smirk, much to everyone’s shock.
“Um, I, uh…” Takashi squirms in his seat, nervously looking at a very interested Chiharu. Her seductive eyes seem to calm him as he takes a breath and looks to me. “Yeah… I do.”
“That’s sweet, th-thank you.” I smile, blushing almost as much he is. He shares another cute gaze with Chiharu and spins.
“Alright, Hisao… You’re up.” Takashi asks and Hisao stops to think for a second.
“Tru-No, dare.” Hisao folds him arms, locking eyes with Takashi.
“Fuck, uhhhh…” Takashi looks around, as if to find an answer to his predicament. “I dare you to… Uhh… wear Akio’s antlers!”
Both Akio and Hisao look to each other, and then Takashi, with disappointment before Akio takes his antlers off and passes them to Hisao.
“You want the nose too?” Akio asks and Hisao laughs.
“Nah, you look like a clown; it suits you.”
“Fuck you too, buddy.”
“You wish.” Hisao spins and the bottle points my way again. Hisao’s nice but he has spent a lot of time with Akio this year so I’m a little anxious about what he’ll do when I say…
“D-Dare.”
“Ooooh, tough one.” Hisao strokes his chin, looking utterly ridiculous with reindeer antlers. “I dare you to tie your hair up. Like in a bun.”
“O-okay.” I accept, and begin to wind my hair up. Everyone’s eyes are on me and I silently thank Taro for providing such strong alcohol. I don’t think I’d have the courage to show my scars otherwise. I flare my hands out to show my hair is staying where it is for the time being.
“Ta-daaah~!” I smile nervously and Hisao grins.
“You’re so pretty, Hanako!” Chiharu says but it’s Akio’s follow-up that sends me into a shyness spiral. A shyral, even.
“That looks so hot.” He says with eyes I’ve never had on me before, almost… lustful? I try not to look at him as I spin the bottle again.
“T-T-Taro!”
“Sure, I’ll go for a dare too.”
“I d-d-dare you to…” I know what I want to say; if for no other reason than to take attention away from me… “T-t-take your shirt off.”
“Whooooa, Hana! You horny little-” Akio’s excited cheering is cut-off by Takashi cuffing the back of his head. I wince a little, hoping that didn’t hurt him too bad.
When I look back over at Taro, he’s already undressed. His body is pink but he looks comfortable showing off. Maybe he doesn’t have body issues like I thought. Good for him.
“Satisfied, Hanako?” Taro throws me a smirk and I nod, giggling. Glad he’s taking it in stride.
Taro spins and it lands on Chiharu.
“Dare me, big boy.” She says, wiggling her eyebrows up and down.
“I know what you want me to do… And since you helped me with that project; I’mma give it to you.” Taro laughs before gesturing to Takashi. “I dare you to kiss Takashi.”
Chiharu practically pushes Akio out of the way to get to Takashi and lock lips with him. We mostly look away as they noisily make-out. Almost a minute goes by before she releases him. Looking very satisfied, she spins.
“And you were worried about the math…” Akio nudges Takashi.
“Akio! Aki-Aki-Akio!” Chiharu cheers.
“Truth me.”
“Do you have a cruuuush… On anyone in this room?” Now that’s what I wanted to hear! I try to watch his eyes intently as the make their way around the table but I’m starting to feel a bit fuzzier. He looks back over to Chiharu after circling the table.
“Yeah. A pretty big one.”
“Who?” I ask but Akio wags a finger at me.
“Uh-uh. That’s a different truth!” Daaaamn it!
The spins continue and we each take our turns. Hisao gets dared to swap shirts with Akio, Takashi admits that he’s never had sex, Akio admits he’s had sex with three boys and two girls, Taro asks me if I have a crush and I answer honestly; I have more than one. That got some interesting reactions.
Each spin reveals more and more of ourselves and I feel more connected to my classmates than I have in almost three years.
“Okay, Akio…” Hisao chews his lip as he looks around the room curiously before a devilish smirk tugs at his lips. “I dare you to kiss your crush.”
Akio smirks back as he rises, taking careful steps around Takashi… And then past me. Damn it… Past Taro… And then kneels next to Hisao, whose eyes go wide.
“C’mon dude. You had to see this coming.” Akio whispers as he leans in and plants a gentle peck on Hisao’s lips. Okay, that was so cute, I can’t even be mad! Don’t spurn his feelings, Hisao!
“Wow, I…” Hisao blinks a couple times before smiling. “I’m guess I don’t have to make a big deal about telling everyone, I guess.”
Hisao cups Akio’s face and kisses him back, a little more deeply. Yesssss… I beam at Taro who nods knowingly.
The game kind of disolved after that as the two couples began to make-out more and more… Leaving only me and Taro to play.
As the night wore on, the pairings alighted
The drinking was fun, but now passions ignited
The thump from the back of my head hitting my door doesn’t quite match the clonk of Takashi and mine’s foreheads meeting on the rebound but the pain is dulled enough that we only need to share a small laugh before the tongue-wrestling continues. I somehow manage to fumble my key into the lock and get the door open without untangling with his grip.
We slip inside and I close the door. I’d worry about locking it but I know damn well that Natsume and Hanako live on another floor so I don’t have to worry about my neighbours. Not tonight, anyway.
“I can’t… Believe… Taro…” Takashi gasps as he takes breaths inbetween sloppy kisses.
“I can.” I giggle, tossing his beret to the other side of the room and running my hands through his sandy hair and breathing lustfully into his face. “He’s got a knack for getting things in motion.”
“Huh?” Takashi leans back a little, an incredulous eyebrow darting up his forehead.
“He can clock our attraction and put us in a room with enough social lubricant to get us here, in my room, with your hands on my butt…”
Takashi’s hands quickly leave my behind but a stern look makes him rethink that. My smile returning is his reward as I feel his hands press against my denim-clad rear once more.
“Attaboy… It’s just a shame that Taro can’t see when people are interested in him. You had to have seen it.”
Takashi furrows his brow a little. “No, I don’t think I have…”
“I guess all boys are clueless then.” I laugh as Takashi’s frown of confusion soon becomes focused on me. “That was your cue to kiss me more, ‘Kashi.”
He does as he’s told and I silently thank my clubmate for arranging this. Sure I liked Takashi but he’s always seemed stand-offish most of the time. Weirdly, I find his resting bitch-face kind of cute. Whether confused, annoyed, or just plain clueless; I find the way his nose scrunches to be hella cute.
“Chi, I f-feel I should ask…” Takashi stops suddenly, moving to arms-length while still maintaining a hold on my hips. “Wh-what is g-going to happen tonight?”
And then there’s the other side of Maeda. The one who isn’t sure of himself. He might know his gouache from his goulash but isn’t so good with people. I plant my hands on his shoulders and give the most reassuring smile I can.
“I’m not going to devour you like a praying mantis; if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“Heh, n-no… But like I said earlier… I don’t… I’ve never…”
“Neither have I…” I blush, pressing my body against his and feeling that his protests may ring a little more hollow than even he knows. “But I have done some other stuff before. If that’s what you want.”
“I’d like to try… Stuff.” He smirks a little crookedly but no less earnestly.
“Then kiss me some more and let’s see what… stuff happens.” I wink and pull him towards my bed, kissing him just as passionately. We clamber onto my bed and I ease him into a sitting position against my wall as I rub my hands across his shoulders, kneeling next to him.
The bourbon is making my head spin but not in the familiar way my condition does. It’s an odd sensation; like when I have an episode and my vision distorts but not quite. I break away from our kiss and rub Takashi’s face. My hand seems normal; right shape, right size, but the fuzzy pins-and-needles-esque sensation is new. Must be the booze.
I flex my fingers a little, feeling the new sensation fully. Tingly. Takashi brings his hand up to hold mine, causing my attention to snap to his face.
“Everything okay, Chi? Is it your AIWS?” He asks, a wash of concern comes over him but I simply shake my head.
“No, just never been drunk before. Feels weird. And nice.”
“You’re nice.” Takashi mutters, not quite confident in how cute that compliment was.
“Awww! So are you!” I drape myself over him and continue to make out with… My boyfriend? Friend with benefits? Oh, who cares right now…?
My hand slides down his torso as we kiss more; a slight moan into my mouth tells me I’m doing something right. I palm the noticeable bulge in his slacks and smile a little as my fingernails scrape up and down the length of it.
“Chi…”
“Does that feel good?” I whisper into his ear, receiving an enthusiastic nod. “Do you want to go further?”
“I…” Takashi’s eyes open to meet mine. “I wanna do you, too.”
I look down at his slacks and then my jeans. “Let’s get out of these then, shall we?”
From girls’ dorms to boys’ own, hands and mouths were occupied
Whilst a sleepy Newsie was prone, listening to friends as they imbibed
My eyes squint open and find the common room much darker than I remember. Quieter, too. Thank god. The fluorescent lights would kill my good eye. The only the light in the room emanating from the TV and the only sound coming from the two silhouetted people sitting either side of the table.
From their shapes, I’d guess Taro and Hanako… Both are hunched over the table and turning something between them… A bottle? I can’t tell. Even the low light hurts my eyes so I clamp them shut and try to attune my ears to their conversation.
“…Ward of the state. Once I graduate; I’m on m-my own a-again, Taro. After Lilly… left… I wanted, n-needed, to be with people. Build up m-my circle. Make the most of th-the time I h-have left. So h-here I am. Getting d-drunk o-off my ass with a classmate.” Hanako punctuating her heartfelt sentence not only with a curse word but with a happy laugh warms my weary bones. I’m proud to be a part of that.
“Gettin’ drunk off your ass wit’ a friend!” Taro interrupts with an amazing follow-up. Glad it’s him and not someone like Takashi. Taro at least knows how to talk to people.
“Yeah. A friend. Y-yoooour t-tuuuurn~.” The soft sound of hollow glass sliding on wood as Hanako slurs her words slightly. “Why not go to bed as shoon as the others left?”
“Cos I wanted to spend time with you too! We’ve never really talked! Always thought you were scared-a me, honestly.”
“Honestly? K-Kinda was. You’re big and you were a r-reeeeeal sourpuss when you first g-got here…”
“Fair.”
“B-but watching you, and Akio, and Miki, and the others… You’re all so f-funny and c-caring. I know I’ve never s-said it before but I’m thankful for being in class with you all.”
“Awww. I wish I’d tried a little harder now…”
“I appreciate you trying at all. God knows I d-didn’t make it easy.”
“You’ve met Miki, right? The first act of our friendship resulted in me getting a black eye.” They both laugh and I have a distinct memory of Miki decking Taro early into the first year.
“I’m pretty s-sure she m-made it up to you…” So am I. The walls can be awfully thin here.
“Yeah, well… I’m sure being friends with you will involve a lot less arm-wrestling matches and bruising.”
“You s-sure about that, Taro?” The glass bottle turns again. “I d-dare you to arm-wrestle me!”
“Come on, Hana, don’t do this! You’re like eighty pounds soaking wet!”
“Pfft. I can t-take you.”
“Yeah… Miki said the same thing.”
I can’t help but smile to myself as I hear faint grunting and cursing before the soft sound of flesh meeting wood.
“Oh noooo, looks like you beat me!” Taro says in a sarcastically defeated tone. I can practically hear the smile on his face as Hanako celebrates. I groan to announce my presence and pull myself up from the couch.
“You missed show-and-tell, Nattie!” Taro chuckles but is quickly corrected by Hanako.
“Truth-or-dare. But you did miss the fun, Natsume.”
“You’ll have to tell me all about it, Hana. But first, I think I need some coffee.”
As the morning arose, the night before was a haze
Wearing festive antlers and nose, he wondered if this was a phase
Waking with Akio’s breath on my neck causes goosebumps to erupt over my skin. The fact that Akio is in my bed at all makes my heartbeat match the pounding in my head. I lightly pull his arm off of me and get out of bed, gingerly stretching. Okay, we’re wearing underwear, that’s something, but I remember…
Kissing. Lots of kissing. Kissing a boy. Kissing my friend. I pull the red nose and antlers from my head and also remember… Ugh, Akio’s awful holiday puns.
Something about riding me like a reindeer… Wanting to sleigh with me… Oh god, the North Pole! I wince and look back at the sleeping Akio, snoring softly in red-and-white striped boxers. If nothing else; I have to admire his commitment to a bit.
I also admire his scars. Much different to mine. His were inflicted upon him out of malice, not necessity. I don’t understand how so much violence and abuse made someone so funny and kind. He played it off, not wanting to spoil the mood, but I really want to know.
Especially if this… If ‘us’… Is now going to be a thing. Out of everything I expected when I came to Yamaku, this was definitely not on the list. Have I always been attracted to guys and just didn’t know? Is it just Akio? How am I going to tell my parents? What is the rest of the school going to think?
“Hisao… You’re thinking too loud…” Akio groans as he sits up and rubs his eyes, looking at me standing at my desk. “Though for this view, I think I can forgive yo-ow, yeah, nope, too hung-over to be suave.”
“First time for everything, I suppose.” I offer a light chuckle, turning and resting against my desk. “What did you mean ‘thinking too loud’?”
“You mumble, dude. You’re a mumbler. Like you’re giving a mumblelogue.” Akio rests at the edge of my bed, running his hands through his hair and untangling the shaggy mess of red. Once finished, it looks like a wild mane that is quickly brushed and patted down with his palms.
“So… What do you wanna do for breakfast?” He beams up at me, like a heavy night of drinking and making out hasn’t left him dehydrated and groggy. Like me.
“What was the stuff you gave me after the school festival?” I ask, rubbing my own eyes while the memory of Akio nursing me after I drank almost all of a bottle of whiskey. Never forgiving Kenji for leaving me up there alone. Or maybe I should thank him; because that’s how I met Akio.
“Ah, the Hayashi Special. Think I have some of that stuff left but we’ll probably have to make a run to the Aura Mart for the rest. Which mean...” He slaps his knees and rises. “Unfortunately, we’re gonna have to get dressed.”
His eyes linger on my mostly naked form and I reflexively cover my crotch. He laughs as he reaches for my trousers and tosses them to me.
“I’ve already seen your goods, Nakai. No need to be shy now.”
“Y-yeah, well… This is still… Weird.” I admit sheepishly but seeing Akio’s face contort with concern, I stumble to word myself better. “Not weird-weird! Just awkward-weird, y’know?”
“You don’t regret kissing and whatnot, do you?” Akio asks cautiously as he slips on his jeans. Do I? I don’t think I do but I have a lot of questions and I’m not sure what the answers are.
“I don’t know, Akio. Sorry… This is… I don’t know if I’m…” I try to find the words but fail, my shoulders slumping. Akio smiles sympathetically and offers out my t-shirt that he had been wearing for the better part of the night.
“I get it. It took me longer than I’d like to admit to find my groove. Maybe you’re like me, maybe you’re not - but I’m here for you regardless, okay?” As Akio talks, I notice his scent still lingers on my shirt. That, and his sagely words, are oddly comforting.
“Thanks, Akio. You’re a good friend.”
“A good friend doesn’t spoon their drunken crushes, Hisao. I’m an excellent friend!” He winks at me and I burst out laughing.
“For what it’s worth… Headache aside… That’s, uh… That’s the best night’s sleep I’ve had in a long time.” My cheeks burn crimson as I watch Akio open my door.
“And that is the best thing I’ve heard all year, sweetheart.” Akio looks over his shoulder with a debonair smile and my heart skips a beat. It’s not until I hear his voice from the hall that I realise I’d spaced out for a second thinking about it.
“It’s a brand new day, Hisao! Move your ass! We need to make sure the others are suitably hung-over!”
A brand new day, huh? Sounds good to me.
As for Akio and Hisao's interactions... Well, let's call this a beta test.
.