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“Has anyone seen Nirei?” a student from another class calls from the doorway.
The question makes Sakura Haruka flinch, shoulders hunched up near his ears, and brow furrowed. He’s one more mention of his boyfriend away from kicking at his desk.
Suo Hayato glances at him once before calling out, “Absent. Try again tomorrow.”
The student just nods and takes their stack of papers away with them. There’s a collective exhale in the classroom when the stranger is gone, and Hayato turns to Haruka, who glares at him with his usual surface-level menace.
Haruka isn’t even a bit angry at Hayato, but…
“Has he picked up your calls? Replied to anything?”
With a low sigh, Haruka picks at the pilling on his uniform. “No. He’s alive, I know from patrols.”
Despite his attempt at nonchalance, though, Haruka can feel his stomach acid clawing through the lining. He hasn’t been able to get a hold of Nirei Akihiko for a week straight, and they’re dating. Haruka, of all people, is dating someone after a lifetime alone, and he feels his heart tumbling and twisting at the thought of not being able to do anything for him. It’s not actually enough to just see his silhouette through the window.
He wants to hold Akihiko.
Bzzt!
Everyone in the vicinity flinches, apparently jumpscared out of their mid-afternoon stupor by Haruka’s ringtone. He grumbles and flips the thing over, gazing at the caller ID before his eyes widen in shock.
He’s out the door and around the corner in seconds, disappearing into an empty classroom with labored breaths.
“A-Aki.”
The familiar greeting elicits a giggle from his partner. “Hi. I’m glad you’re getting used to the nickname.”
They both know Haruka’s had to take months to warm up to basic intimacy - holding hands took them a month, kissing took four, and hugs, interestingly enough, took almost a year. The nicknames have been the hardest for him, but he tries, loving the way Akihiko’s eyes shimmer like evening stars when he gets called Aki. It’s enough for Haruka to be reminded of why he decided to try dating at all.
Still, despite this being the most contact they’ve had in a week, Haruka’s mind homes in on the gravelly, uneven tone of Akihiko’s voice. He narrows his eyes and clears his throat.
“You sound sick. Are you ok?”
Haruka hears shuffling on the line, like sheets rustling as his boyfriend moves to stand.
“I’m not sick,” Akihiko assures him. “With a cold, at least.”
A moment’s hesitation, then a voice as soft as clouds and gentle as rain.
“So it’s…”
“A… um. You know… um… how I’m always scared?” Akihiko murmurs, voice cracking at the end.
There’s an extremely long pause, and the sound of his voice makes Haruka desperate to run to him - but he waits, just barely patient.
“Well, first of all, sorry for going so long without talking to you,” Akihiko rushes out. “I wasn’t okay… I, um. I actually have anxiety and panic attacks. I’ve been bad. Shaking, crying, everything, non-stop… I didn’t want to scare you, so I just… sorry. I… I hope you know you’re precious to me.”
Haruka’s eyes water at the sweet sound of Akihiko’s words, vulnerability trembling through them that he recognizes all too well. He clenches his free fist and bites his lip.
“You’re precious to me too,” he says, firm and without hesitation, which draws another giggle from his partner. “Thanks for… for telling me. And uh… if you want, since you’re ok to call…”
“Mm?”
Haruka gulps and takes a deep breath. He waits just as long to speak, but manages to push the words into existence.
“I want to see you.”
The Akihiko that Haruka meets at the door looks a little disheveled. His eyes are sunken, his skin is sallow, and he’s wearing a shirt that tips off his shoulder like a sinking ship. There’s a moment of hesitation from Haruka, a second where he wonders if it’s even ok to be there at all.
But Akihiko pulls him into a hug so fast, and so suddenly that Haruka is left breathless, face pressed into his cheek and his hair, while they breathe each other in. They absorb every molecule of warmth, squeezing and gripping each other tight, until they’ve had their fill, many millions of moments later.
Haruka brushes a stray hair from Akihiko’s forehead while his beautiful boyfriend beams at him.
“Thank you for coming.”
“‘Course. Anything for you.”
Akihiko’s usual laugh fills Haruka’s chest with adoring heat. They gaze at each other until Akihiko rests his head in the crook of Haruka’s neck. They’re swaying then, gently, as Haruka kicks the front door closed behind him. It’s as if there’s silent music, a silent dance between them, comfortable and slow and safe.
“You know… I… um. Actually, never mind,” Akihiko whispers hurriedly after a while, tucking his face further into Haruka’s skin.
Haruka’s eyes widen at that, and his hold tightens, concerned. “What is it? Do you… need water? Food?”
Akihiko shakes his head at lightning speed. “No! No! I drank water. I just… I wanted to ask if we could maybe go outside for a bit.”
Haruka pauses his swaying motion to listen.
“I’ve been cooped up here, and seeing you… I want us to go do something again. I’ve been going a little crazy.”
“You’re not crazy,” Haruka states vehemently, and Akihiko lets a small laugh slip through the tiredness.
“Thank you,” Akihiko replies. “But maybe we can… um. Go on a bike ride, since it’s still afternoon. Unless you’re busy—”
“Never, not for you,” Haruka interrupts, flushing as he realizes the weight of his words. “I can. Uh. Call Suo and ask him to sub Kiryu in for the patrol. There’s no problem.”
And the smile Haruka receives at his confident agreement makes everything feel so, so worth it. His heart is fluttering up like a butterfly in his chest while he leans down to kiss Akihiko, so soft and still with his old, shy brashness. Akihiko’s lips are plush and sweet, more confident and sure than before, and Haruka feels a sudden urge to absorb Akihiko into himself, even if he knows that he can’t.
Just one more kiss before we go. Then, we’ll be ready.
The summer sky stretches out above them, cicadas singing an almost ear-splitting tune while Haruka kicks the bike into standing position. It’s Akihiko’s bike that he got for his birthday, a beautiful teal blue that comes with a front basket that Akihiko uses to store convenience store snacks. Today, Haruka has put rice balls and water in, hoping Akihiko might have an appetite again later.
Turning back towards the house, Haruka watches Akihiko moving in the window - except now, he knows that Akihiko is joining him, and he sees joy and energy in his movements for the first time. The blonde is humming, the lovely sound of it drifting down to the pavement, and he has his bangs clipped back with three chaotic neon clips that Haruka recognizes as a gift he’d given. With the sheer white curtains billowing on each side, Haruka wonders if he might be in a movie.
He takes the chance to be shameless and watch.
It takes another minute before Akihiko hurries out the door, shoving the falling handle of his tote bag back onto his shoulder while he carries a blanket. Haruka just smiles at him, taking the bag and blanket and packing them in before he watches Akihiko board the bike. His expression of diligence makes Akihiko laugh, pat his shoulder, and shake his head.
“Thank you… for doing all this,” Akihiko murmurs, leaning into Haruka’s back as they begin their ride.
His arms are wrapped around Haruka’s middle, squeezing gently and making Haruka’s soul shout.
“O-of course. Like I said, anything for you,” Haruka mumbles.
And he means it. He’d do this even if it were 2 AM and he hadn’t gotten a lick of proper sleep.
Anything for Nirei Akihiko, the boy who has had faith in him from the start, even when he thought he didn’t deserve it.
So he bikes until his legs burn, watches the sky, and occasionally turns around to check on Akihiko, who looks so comfy he’s practically falling asleep.
“Hey,” Haruka murmurs. “Aki, are you awake?”
Akihiko grumbles something inaudible, and Haruka cracks a small smile. As long as his boyfriend is still upright on the bike… but just to be sure, Haruka slips a protective hand over Akihiko’s on his torso, and slows the slightest bit down to watch the horizon.
By the time they stop, it’s already been close to an hour. They haven’t quite left Makochi’s surrounding countryside, but there are already trail markers for the hikes available on the nearby mountains. The buildings grow more sparse as they’re interspersed with wide open rice fields and bunches of trees that quietly guard the occasional house or pit stop. It’s one of the convenience stores that Haruka elects to pause at, shaking Akihiko gently and turning to cup his cheek.
“Aki, let’s take a break and cool down,” Haruka urges, watching Akihiko unfurl his body and yawn like a lion.
“Mm,” Akihiko affirms, still rubbing the sleepiness out of his eyes. “Ok.”
The edge of Haruka’s mouth turns up at that.
When they walk into the store proper, a small bell rings above their heads to announce their arrival. The shop is well-stocked with all manner of traditional convenience store fare, plus some plump, fresh strawberries and various other items made or grown in the area. Akihiko eyes the strawberries for a while before he caves, smiling sheepishly at Haruka before they check out and begin to open the door to leave.
It’s then that the store owner, a spindly old man in his 60s, suddenly raises a hand to ask them to stay a moment.
“Isn’t it extra hot today, boys? Would you like to cool off a little bit in the back?”
Haruka marvels at the random act of kindness, glancing at Akihiko for confirmation as Akihiko nods, gently putting a hand on Haruka’s arm.
The friendly old man offers them fresh watermelon first before leading them to the side of the building, where he has a bucket or two out, along with a water hose. A small dog is barking with excitement and running laps around their heels, and a cat peeks its head out from behind a flower pot, gazing at them with deep, intense amber eyes. Akihiko bends down to pet the puppy, and Haruka feels relief wash over him at the sight. He’s so busy watching Akihiko that he barely hears the store owner chuckle and tell them to enjoy as he disappears back inside.
As Akihiko stands up and brushes the grass off his shorts, Haruka begins to turn the garden hose’s spigot counterclockwise, cautiously pointing the hose end at a random, near-dead bush in the corner of the garden. There’s the faint sound of moving water, and Akihiko and Haruka’s eyes finally meet just as the water blasts out like a laser cannon, flattening a section of the bush into nothing and splashing loudly onto the fence behind it. The cat panics and bolts, and the dog barks nonstop, chasing the cat back into the shop. It’s absolute chaos, and Akihiko bursts into surprised laughter as Haruka struggles to keep the hose under control, using all his strength to keep the hose from going rogue. He screeches out apologies as Akihiko crouches to get closer without getting his foot sawed off by the water pressure, until he finally makes it over and turns the hose the other way, and the hose begins to emit a gentle mist.
A rainbow appears amongst the droplets, and Akihiko smiles warmly, cupping a hand on Haruka’s cheek.
“There we go. No casualties.”
“Except my blood pressure,” Haruka mumbles in reply.
They gaze at each other for a long while after that, content to move in a little closer and share a few soft, discrete kisses as Akihiko’s hand with the hose falls to his side. The mist surrounds them, then, clouding their vision and cooling the air, creating more little bands of rainbow light that make the garden look like the setting of a fairytale. They’re in the shadows underneath the awning of the building, in a corner that feels made just for them. And it’s then that Haruka realizes… he’s happier than he’s ever been.
He leaves a sweet kiss on Akihiko’s forehead before moving back, taking the hose into his own hands.
“Have you ever played with a garden hose before?” Akihiko asks, tilting his head.
“Nope,” Haruka grumbles. “There’s a first time for everything.”
“Mm, so let’s try… this,” Akihiko murmurs, toying with the spigot until the hose produces a low-pressure waterfall, and picking up a second hose nearby.
The water is flowing just enough to create a steady stream, minus the scary power level that ripped the bush to shreds. There are still rainbows and mist in the air, and Haruka almost feels his body settle into a relaxed state, but…
“Get ready, Haru!” Akihiko shouts, grinning as he begins to run forward.
Haruka jolts and jumps to the left just as Akihiko’s hose reaches him, raising his own hose and trying a defensive position. The act leaves Akihiko way too amused for his liking, so he hurries forward, swishing the water hose until there are almost blinding clouds of mist and water everywhere. The couple wastes no time in their chase, dodging and rolling and hitting each other right in the face with the water.
It’s only when Akihiko plops onto the concrete step, defeated, that Haruka joins him, taking a nearby towel and wiping the excess water from Akihiko’s face. The way Akihiko pinches his eyes shut makes Haruka’s heart screech in adoration, so much so that he forces himself to turn away.
“What’s wrong?” Akihiko asks, genuine concern lacing his voice.
Haruka feels a hand on his forearm, warm and soft, and blushes hard enough to pass out.
“N-nothing… I… uh. You’re cute. Is all.”
Deafening silence follows, until Akihiko is laughing, and laughing, and laughing, until Haruka turns to look at the tears in the corners of his eyes, the hand on his belly as he struggles to stay upright.
“What?!” Haruka sputters, sure that the blood cells in his face are working overtime.
“Nothing!” Akihiko responds, beaming as Haruka swipes the tears away with his hands. “I just really… really am grateful for you.”
Another silence follows, but gentler this time, one that feels like a cozy blanket after a long, long day. Haruka feels like he’s floating, high above the clouds of a summer in Japan, wondering how he got so damn lucky as to know the boy at his side.
“Me too,” Haruka murmurs, pulling Akihiko into a tight hug. He squeezes when he feels Akihiko wrap his arms around him. “Me too.”
I’ll always, always treasure you.