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A celebration of love between two people. Families and friends of each partner gathering to celebrate their unity with heartfelt wishes for lifelong happiness and security. A wedding is an event arranged for the purpose of witnessing the vows made to one another, and to follow such a ceremony with enthusiastic socialization amidst loud music and dancing.
Kaoru couldn’t care less about dressing up in uncomfortable clothes and attending an event that would only serve to hurt his ears and sap his energy. It would last for a few hours at the minimum, and Kaoru needs his routine in order to feel normal. He could find every excuse in his overflowing book to decline, insist he’s busy with some other important project. There are many valid reasons that he can utilize to excuse himself entirely.
Of course, Kaoru isn’t one to refuse free food and wine. And with such exquisite options at his fingertips for this special occasion, he easily agrees to being Kojiro’s plus one.
Kaoru has met the groom before. He was an old classmate of Kojiro’s back in high school. The two got along very well if Kaoru’s memory served correctly. But Kaoru never shared any classes with him, and thus only ever saw him when he was around Kojiro. Since Kojiro was invited to his wedding, Kaoru supposes their friendship had only strengthened through the years following high school.
The ceremony itself goes by quickly before leading into the reception. This is where Kaoru finds himself happily sipping on white wine and occasionally clinking glasses with the other guests at their table following each speech. At one point, Kojiro makes his way to the front to make his own speech, and Kaoru is surprised to hear the passion in his tone when he reminisces on his fond experiences with the groom. He extends his well wishes toward the newlywed couple, and then returns to his seat beside Kaoru as the audience claps and toasts.
Kaoru is perfectly content to remain seated for the rest of his night socializing with the small group of people at their table, glass of wine in hand and flavorful sushi and rice on his plate. He mostly talks to Kojiro, but it’s when the man is out on the dancefloor that Kaoru becomes a bit bored. Watching him is entertaining enough in and of itself; he’s a good dancer, and people naturally flock to him and join in. But once Kaoru isn’t at the center of Kojiro’s attention, he finds himself craving to be in it again.
Kojiro is dressed for the occasion. A dark suit encompasses his broad body, the outer jacket unbuttoned to facilitate his movement. His tie is a pale blue, offering the slightest pop of color that sways from side to side. His slacks are decently fitted but still aren’t much help in hiding his bulging thigh muscles as they relentlessly stretch the fabric.
Kaoru swallows down more wine just to give himself something to do—something that isn’t staring at his best friend’s stunningly attractive form and even more distractingly handsome face. He still ends up staring at Kojiro from his seat at the table, but at least he tried to divert his attention for a good few seconds.
Kaoru is also wearing a suit. For once in his adult life, he isn’t wearing a fancy kimono for a formal event. He could have; in fact, he outright stated that he would only for Kojiro to ask if they could go shopping for suits. Not wanting to disappoint him, Kaoru had joined him, ultimately giving in and purchasing one for himself to appease Kojiro’s desire for them to match. There were some slight color and pattern variations between each of their suits’ designs, and Kaoru’s tie was a deep purple, but it was clear that they’d come out of the same store.
Kojiro catches his gaze, and Kaoru doesn’t break contact the way he usually would upon being caught checking him out... because he was, of course, still looking. He flashes a bold grin at Kaoru, lifting his arm with his palm facing up to curl a finger toward himself in a clear beckoning gesture.
Kaoru normally wouldn’t entertain the thought of joining Kojiro on the dancefloor. He hasn’t all night, after all. He doesn’t know what does it this time. Maybe it’s the premium quality alcohol currently flowing through his bloodstream and causing a pleasant buzz in his skull. It could be the challenging look in Kojiro’s brazen eyes. Or maybe it’s simply the desire to be closer to Kojiro that makes Kaoru tip his head back to down the rest of his wine before setting the glass down, finally pushing himself up to walk over to Kojiro.
The music has shifted into something energetic, so when Kaoru approaches, Kojiro steps into his space only to grab his arms to pull him further into the crowd. Kaoru huffs but doesn’t immediately voice a complaint as they occupy a space with less people. Then Kojiro is playfully rolling his hips to the beat, and it’s so overly exaggerated and downright ridiculous that Kaoru can’t help a snicker from escaping his lips.
Kaoru joins in slowly but surely, deciding to start with small movements, copying Kojiro when he prompts him with an encouraging nod. He's never considered himself much of a dancer, but Kojiro has always been good about getting him out of his comfort zone; even if he has to forcefully pry Kaoru out of his quiet space. Kaoru doesn’t feel too troubled during times like these, however. He knows he can trust Kojiro to help him have fun.
There are eyes that inevitably peek over toward them, but Kojiro pays them no mind, so Kaoru doesn’t either. Kaoru doesn’t really care about other people when he’s around Kojiro anyway. He has more important things to consider, like the way Kojiro’s mahogany eyes widen wildly when Kaoru matches his energy, picking up a fast pace as he places bold steps alongside Kojiro’s.
The constant thrum of the bass moves them closer together, and Kojiro’s hands naturally find their way onto Kaoru’s waist. It feels so perfectly right that Kaoru’s brain doesn’t compute the action as strange, so he allows the contact. Revels it in, even. He lets Kojiro maneuver him in their small range of space, unable to resist smiling up at him fondly.
Kaoru likes this. He likes being in Kojiro’s space with his thumbs pressing into the dips of his sides, his grin mirroring Kaoru’s as he spins them around along with the beat.
Kaoru shrieks when Kojiro suddenly tilts him backwards with a strong hand supporting his lower back. When he’s pulled back up, he heaves in a breath. The look in his eyes must be as frenetic as Kojiro’s because Kojiro laughs—a jovial sound that fills Kaoru’s ears and instantly contributes to the growing warmth on his face. He pretends to be annoyed, pushing weakly at Kojiro’s massive shoulders and muttering insults while Kojiro only smiles wider and holds his hips tighter.
Kaoru never actually pushes Kojiro away. In fact, he allows their momentum to continue as a series of lively songs cycle through the speakers in each corner of the room.
He isn’t sure when the music shifts into something calmer, but he finds their movements slowing down immensely to match it. Kojiro’s hands are placed against Kaoru’s lower back while Kaoru’s arms are looped around his neck. There isn’t any space between their bodies, and Kaoru has to tilt his head back to look up at Kojiro properly. That only causes him to realize how close their faces are, and it leads to him deciding to hide his face in Kojiro’s shoulder instead.
They should probably leave the dancefloor. This is obviously a song meant for couples, the song’s lyrics about love and romance only furthering the idea. But they continue swaying to the soft melody, and Kaoru can’t bring himself to oppose it. He closes his eyes and loses himself in their gentle swaying, feeling unsure of where all his previous energy had gone.
“I’m glad you came here with me tonight,” Kojiro says, and it’s spoken so close to Kaoru’s ear that it threatens to make him shudder.
“Someone has to make sure you stay out of trouble,” Kaoru says.
Kojiro’s shoulders shake with his nearly soundless laugh. “Of course. But seriously. It means a lot to me. I know you’d rather stay in on a Saturday night, but you agreed to accompany me here instead. Thank you, Kaoru.”
His voice is filled with an overwhelming amount of sincerity that sends Kaoru’s senses into overdrive. He isn’t sure what to say as his mind flips through a collection of potential responses. It was true that he’d attended to celebrate the marriage of the groom whom he’d met in high school. There are some people he knows on the guest list, but most of them are strangers. Overall, Kaoru is mostly here for Kojiro.
He settles for burying his face further into Kojiro’s neck and mumbling about it being no problem. Kojiro seems to accept this answer, letting out an amused exhale through his nose.
They remain that way for the next slow song that plays, and Kaoru hopes it isn't too obvious that he’s enjoying this way more than he should. It's not weird for them to touch each other, but the kind of touch they usually partake in involves hands shoving at the other’s chest or a foot to the ass out of frustration. It's never like this with their bodies pressed close, their hands wound around each other in a way that seems a bit too intimate.
When Kaoru doesn’t think he can take the prickling heat over his skin anymore, he declares that he’s going to sit down once a faster song begins. Kojiro offers to go get them some drinks from the bar, and Kaoru approves, if not for the mere sake of separating himself from Kojiro for a few minutes. He needs a moment to calm his pounding heart down.
The people at their table are nice but clearly too nosy for their own good. Maybe they’ve had quite a bit to drink tonight, too, because the two women who are sitting there chatting exchange glances upon seeing Kaoru approach. He sits down unceremoniously, releasing a heavy exhale as he reaches for his glass of water to take a sip.
“So, are you two serious?” one of the women asks.
Kaoru raises an eyebrow in her direction before setting his glass back down. “What?”
“That man! The one you were just dancing with. Who you’ve been sitting with all night.”
“What about Kojiro?”
“Oh, so his name is Kojiro,” the other woman says. “Well, he’s very handsome. And so are you. I guess it’s not a wonder how you found each other. Attractive people are drawn to each other.”
“Sae-chan, it’s not all about looks!” the first woman says. “They could have more in common than just that.” She turns to Kaoru. “Come on, tell us how long you’ve been dating. You’ve been flirting all night. It must be a new relationship.”
Kaoru stiffens at the word ‘dating.’ He isn’t quite sure what to feel. The idea of dating Kojiro has certainly crossed his mind before—he daydreams about it often. But he’s never thought for a second that people actually perceived them that way. Why would they think he and Kojiro were dating?
Flirting? When had they flirted with each other?
He stumbles over his words, trying to figure out how to form a coherent response. But it’s at that moment that Kojiro shows up to the table, placing two glasses down before settling into the chair beside Kaoru.
The two women rise from their seats, giggling and remarking that they’re going to dance. Kaoru has a feeling that they’re leaving them alone for some irrational reasoning of not wanting to intrude on their time together. Kojiro watches them leave with an amused curl to his lips.
“What was that about?” Kojiro says.
“Nothing important,” Kaoru says, reaching for the glass closer to him. It’s filled with an opaque substance with a gradient of orange fading into crimson red. He notices Kojiro raising an eyebrow at him, and Kaoru sighs. “They were just trying to make conversation with me.”
“What’d they say?”
Of course, Kaoru can’t bring up the topic without it raising more questions. Questions that would inevitably lead to why the women were asking him such a thing. And at this point, even just thinking about the way he’d been dancing with Kojiro a short time ago threatens to make heat creep across his face all over again.
He settles for a lie. It isn’t like Kojiro is going to quiz them on it later.
“They were asking how I know the bride and groom. That kind of thing.”
Kojiro doesn’t look like he believes him. When did Kojiro get so perceptive anyway? Still, he doesn’t push the matter further, simply offering a nod as he sips at his own drink. They spend the rest of the evening talking about how they’ve noticed partners beside some of their old classmates. Kaoru finds it ironic.
They head out a bit earlier than the rest of the crowd since they have a bit of a drive to make over to the hotel. It's a little less than an hour out from the venue. Rather than driving all the way back to Okinawa after the wedding, they’d opted to book a hotel for the night.
Kojiro is driving while Kaoru scrolls through social media on his phone. It’s quiet between them for the first half of the drive, the only sound being some soft music playing on the radio. It’s connected to Kojiro’s Bluetooth on his phone, so it isn’t a surprise to hear Italian lyrics drifting through the speakers.
Despite all his efforts to not think about the two women talking to him at their table earlier, Kaoru starts recalling their questions all over again. He doesn’t understand what could have made them think that he and Kojiro were a thing.
He ponders for a while, eventually settling on the idea of their dancing somehow insinuating something between them. If the women had been able to observe them from their table, then maybe they seemed like a couple due to the romantic music and dancing. But they weren’t together! It was just too nice of a moment for Kaoru’s tipsy mind to consider breaking. He couldn’t be blamed for wanting to maintain contact with Kojiro, could he?
He thinks that he could be okay with accepting his own reasoning for their assumptions. But then he considers the idea of getting Kojiro’s opinion. Expressing the ridiculousness of the situation might help him to ultimately laugh it off. He just needed some validation here.
Kaoru makes sure to lace his voice with something sarcastic before speaking into the comfortable silence, “Kojiro, are we dating?”
Kojiro doesn’t answer right away, so Kaoru chances a glance over to see him staring ahead at the road with wide eyes. His mouth opens and closes a few times before he finally responds.
“Huh?”
“Those two women at our table asked me how long we’ve been dating. Said we’ve been flirting all night. I just found it funny.”
Kojiro laughs, but it sounds a bit forced. Kaoru cocks an eyebrow in Kojiro’s direction even as he keeps his gaze on the road.
“That is funny,” Kojiro says.
When he doesn’t say anything more, Kaoru frowns. He’d expected more commentary about how silly the whole thing was. Kojiro wasn’t usually this blunt, bringing a conversation to an end before it even started. It was suspicious.
“We talk like this all the time. So, it’s not like it means anything,” Kaoru says. “Well, at least not whatever they were insinuating.”
“Yeah, you’re right. We talk like this all the time. Nothing weird.”
Kaoru peers over at him, growing increasingly annoyed by his simple responses that only serve to echo Kaoru’s words.
“Kojiro, do you have anything more to say? I mean, don’t you find it silly that they would say such a thing?”
“Yeah, Kaoru. Of course,” Kojiro says. “I’m not sure where they got the idea from. We’re clearly just friends.”
“Exactly. And it’s not like you would ever flirt with me anyway. You’d never want to date me.”
It’s silent for a lot longer than Kaoru likes. He stares out the passenger side window, counting the seconds in his head as they pass by, the silence stretching on and on. The music isn’t even registering in Kaoru’s ears anymore. He’s sure it’s still playing, but he just can’t hear it. The thump of his heart has picked up, and it drowns out any other noise.
“Kaoru,” Kojiro says, dragging out his name slowly and carefully. “Listen... there’s something I have to tell you.”
Kaoru wants to look over, but he’s afraid of what he’ll see if he does. He has a terrifying feeling that he knows what Kojiro is about to say. It’s not that he doesn’t want to hear it. On the contrary, he craves it. He wants so badly to hear Kojiro admit to the reason for the tension that has been present between them since their high school days.
He needs to know that Kojiro has felt the same all this time. It's visceral, he realizes, the very need ingrained into the duration of their friendship.
But he doesn’t want to hear it. Not right now. Not here. Not like this.
“Kaoru, I—”
“No. Don’t you dare. Don’t say another word.”
Out of the corner of his eye, he can see Kojiro finally turn his head to look at him for a moment before returning his eyes to the road. He makes a sort of spluttering sound.
“W-What? Kaoru, you don’t even know what I’m about to say.”
“Yes, I do. And I don’t want to hear it.”
“Yeah, but—how—I mean—” Kojiro breaks off into an exasperated sigh. “Do you really think that’s up for you to decide? This has been going on for way too long, don’t you think? Can’t we just talk about it?”
“Not right here we can’t. So quiet down and focus on driving.”
Of course, Kojiro is as stubborn as they come, and he makes it obvious with the way he continues trying to prod at the matter.
“But you’re saying that we could talk about this. Just somewhere else. Right?”
“Kojiro,” Kaoru breathes out his name through a heavy sigh. “Please, just drive.”
For once, Kojiro quiets down when Kaoru asks him to. The next twenty minutes go by without any conversation. The music finally picks back up in Kaoru’s ears again, though his thoughts remain on the implications of Kojiro’s earlier words.
When they park outside the hotel, Kaoru opens his own door and shuts it before walking toward the building. There are a mixture of emotions coursing through him, and he isn’t planning on letting them out quite yet. He doesn’t want to do this in public. Kojiro locks the car and catches up to him at the door. They’d already checked in earlier that day, so it’s just a matter of going up to the room.
They wait for the elevator in silence. As they’re traveling to the twelfth floor, Kaoru can tell that Kojiro wants to speak. He keeps shifting his stance against the wall furthest away from Kaoru, rearranging the position of his hands from his pockets to his hips to the railing. More than once, Kaoru catches him glancing his way, but he averts his gaze just as quickly. Kaoru hates how much the action enamors him.
Even when Kaoru is tapping his keycard against the door, neither of them speak. Kaoru enters first, placing his bag down before going into the bathroom to make quick use of it. When he comes back out, Kojiro is sitting on the edge of the bed twiddling his thumbs together. He looks up at Kaoru expectantly, but he still doesn’t dare to say a word. It throws Kaoru off to see him so docile, easily complying with Kaoru’s earlier request for silence.
Kaoru sweeps his gaze across the room, taking in the reality of there only being one bed. It had seemed like a good idea at the time of booking the room online. They weren't strangers to sharing a bed, and they always maintained their respective sides. It was a good way to save money as well. However, with the tension currently expanding, Kaoru is now internally beating himself up for agreeing to it. Now they’re hours away from Okinawa, and he’s stuck with this impending conversation looming over them.
Kaoru makes his way to the other side of the bed and cautiously lowers himself onto it. He needs to open the conversation, but he’s incredibly distracted as he turns his body halfway onto the bed. Kojiro is still facing the wall, his back toward Kaoru. His broad shoulders fill out the suit nicely, creating a pleasant silhouette that Kaoru can’t help imagining running his finger along.
All he wants is Kojiro’s hands on him, lips melded against his own as he presses him down into the mattress. He wants Kojiro to whisper his name into his ear; rough and deep and pleading. But they can’t do any of that until they discuss things. They need to figure out if they’re really on the same page... as if they could ever be on separate pages... as if they don’t know each other like the very backs of their hands.
“I won’t push this conversation,” Kojiro says suddenly, breaking the silence that had enveloped them for more than half an hour. He still doesn’t turn around. “We can just go to sleep, and then we can talk about it when we’re back home. If that’s what you want, then it’s okay with me.”
Kaoru only allows a good minute of silence to pass before his emotions get the better of him. They cycle between surprise, frustration, and then finally on indignation. He's pissed off beyond belief, and it’s impossible for him to control his tone when he opens his mouth.
“If that’s what I want?” Kaoru says, repeating the last part of Kojiro’s statement. “Of course I want to talk when we’re back home. It’s the only way I’ve ever imagined this conversation going. But—but how can I possibly wait to talk about this now that you’ve opened the floodgates?”
Kojiro finally turns around fully to look at Kaoru. He looks stunned, his eyebrows raised with his mouth hung open. He starts to form Kaoru’s name on his lips, but Kaoru interrupts him by throwing up a finger in warning.
“W-What the hell, Kojiro? Seriously, what the hell? I wanted us to be home when we talked about this. If we ever talked about this. Now that I know we’re going to talk about this, how could I possibly fucking wait? I need to know everything. We need to talk about everything. I-I won’t be able to sleep with all these anxious thoughts running around my mind. You’re—”
Kaoru cuts himself off to gasp in a much-needed breath. He closes his eyes to expel the sight of Kojiro’s alarmed expression from his vision. He focuses on breathing in deeply and exhaling in a steady interval. When he decides he’s calmed down enough, he opens his eyes again.
“You’re going to sit there and tell me exactly how you feel about me,” Kaoru says. “No more lies. No more excuses. No more pretending.”
He arranges himself into a more comfortable position, crossing his legs and placing his hands in his lap. Kojiro is still staring at him, wide-eyed and clearly dumbstruck. Then he seems to recognize that Kaoru has given him permission to start the conversation, and he takes a moment to presumably gather his thoughts.
“I’ve always cared about you, Kaoru,” Kojiro says, holding eye contact. “There’s nothing to doubt there. You’re my best friend, and nothing will ever change the care I have for you. That being said... for a long time now, I’ve had feelings for you. Feelings that go beyond friendship. It’s... well, I...” He scratches the back of his head and averts his eyes. “I know how I feel, but it’s still hard for me to say out loud.”
Kaoru can feel his heart hammering in his chest. He's waited so long for this. He wants to hear that his feelings for all these years haven’t been unrequited.
He needs that final confirmation that he hasn’t been imagining the soft tone that Kojiro adopts when it’s just the two of them alone at Sia la Luce, or the reverent way he places his hands on Kaoru’s waist and hips like he did earlier at the wedding.
Every lingering glance in Kaoru’s direction, every brush of their hands, every shared smile expressed away from the wandering eyes of their friends.
It all had to mean something. Everything between them has to mean something.
“Please, Kojiro,” Kaoru says quietly, and it brings Kojiro’s gaze back to him. “Koji, I need to know. I want to know.”
It’s uncharacteristic of Kaoru to be so vulnerable, and Kojiro must be able to sense the mood shifting. He looks like he wants to crawl forward and close the distance between them to pull Kaoru into a hug, where he’ll rub soothing circles into his back and whisper comforting words into his ear. He must be resisting the temptation as he only curls his fingers into the bed sheets and lets out a long sigh.
“Yeah, you’re right. You deserve to know,” Kojiro says. “Kaoru, I know I’ve been kind of a dumbass. I never know the right words to use when it comes to you. I’m always picking fights with you instead of just talking. It'd be so much easier if I just admitted how I felt a long time ago. It didn’t need to take this long. I... I’ve felt this way for so many years, and I have a feeling you’ve known it.”
Kojiro lifts a hand to rub his eyes and face, then he drops it back down to the bed.
“Sorry, I’m rambling. I’m just nervous. Fuck. Fuck it. I’ll just say it. Kaoru, I love you.”
He looks like he wants to say something more, but even his tendency to ramble in nerve-racking situations doesn’t seem to have any more control over him. His mouth slowly closes, and he can’t tear his eyes away from Kaoru’s. He looks so entranced and expectant, his teeth worrying his lower lip.
Kaoru experiences a wave of relief washing over him. It’s amazing, really, how one little sentence causes all of his previous worries to vanish as if they’d never even been there in the first place.
He knows how Kojiro feels about him. Finally.
“You’re right,” Kaoru says. “You are a dumbass.”
The abruptness of his statement causes Kojiro’s lip to twitch, and then he’s grinning shyly. He offers a nod in response.
“Were you... afraid to tell me?” Kaoru says after a moment.
Kojiro doesn’t answer immediately. He starts tracing small circles into the mattress with his index finger, his eyes tracking the movement.
“It wasn’t so much that I was afraid. It was more like I was worried about messing up... us.”
“How would...” Kaoru starts and trails off. He knows it’s ridiculous of him to question those words as it’s the same sentiment he’s held within his own mind on various occasions. There had been plenty of times in the past when he’d considered throwing caution to the wind and confessing on an impulse. He'd stopped himself every time.
When it comes to Kojiro, there’s no worse fear that Kaoru holds more than losing him.
“Yeah. Okay. I understand that,” Kaoru says.
“That doesn’t make it okay,” Kojiro says. He looks up at Kaoru, and now there’s a tinge of guilt written on his face. “It got so bad. I kept convincing myself that it was never going to work. That I could never be with you. So, I messed around for a while. And I know it hurt you to see me with them. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
Kaoru realizes that he’s referring to his fangirls at S, as well as all the other girls that Kaoru has seen clinging to his arms. It fills him with a familiar surge of jealousy that he’s grown used to pushing down. He sighs and shakes his head.
“Kojiro, you don’t have to apologize for dating other people. We weren’t even together.”
“I’m telling you, Kaoru, that still doesn’t make it okay. I didn’t realize until recently that it was hurting you. I... I haven’t been seeing anyone for four months now.”
“Really? I thought you still were,” Kaoru says, unable to hide the surprise in his voice.
“No, not anymore. If I’m really being honest, I was kind of settling. I didn’t see a future with any of them. That’s why I haven’t been in a serious relationship before.” When Kaoru doesn’t say anything, Kojiro inches just a bit closer and reaches for Kaoru’s hand, taking it between both of his own. “I don’t think I can be serious about anyone but you.”
Kaoru feels his throat tightening. Disbelief floods his senses because how could Kojiro ever settle down with anyone? And now he’s saying that he wants to do it with Kaoru? It feels unreal.
“You’re absurd. You know that, right?”
Kojiro smiles and lets out a laugh under his breath. Then he shrugs. “I’m aware of it.”
“Absurd. Stupid. Foolish. Irritating—”
“Getting all your insults out?”
“Yes. I need to get it out of the way so that I can focus on the more important things.”
Kaoru hesitates, then raises a trembling hand to cup the side of Kojiro’s face. Kojiro exhales shakily at the contact.
“Like how wonderful you are. How you always make time to see me. Dealing with my meltdowns. Making sure I’m doing alright. Don’t think I forgot about you taking me to the hospital. I may have been stubborn about it, but I really did appreciate you helping me heal. I won’t always admit this out loud, but... Kojiro... you’re wonderful. And... I love you, too.”
Kojiro is smiling at him so fondly that it threatens to make Kaoru’s heart burst. His face and neck feel unbearably warm, but he can’t bring himself to look away from Kojiro. Neither of them speak or move for a long moment. Then Kojiro is crowding into his space, using a hand to gently push at his shoulder, and Kaoru lets himself lie back onto the bed. Kojiro’s elbows dig into the mattress on either side of Kaoru’s arms. His body presses into Kaoru’s, keeping him in place. He glances down at Kaoru’s lips.
“Can I...” Kojiro starts to say, and Kaoru’s brain immediately fills in the rest of his question.
“Yes,” Kaoru says so quietly that his own ears hardly pick it up.
Kojiro must hear him because his lips finally press against Kaoru’s, closed and gentle. Then he raises his head to take in Kaoru’s expression. But Kaoru has only just gotten a taste, and now he wants more. He swallows hard, then boldly reaches up to thread his fingers into Kojiro’s hair, pulling him back down and slotting their lips together properly.
It seems that Kojiro only needed a little encouragement, and he now begins kissing him with more fervor. He sucks on Kaoru’s bottom lip, causing Kaoru to make a small noise in the back of his throat. Kojiro presses in closer, breaking away only to angle their heads the opposite way.
It starts to feel hot very fast, and Kaoru recognizes the cause being the offending material on his body. Both of their bodies, really. They’re wearing far too many clothes.
Kaoru slips his hands between them and starts unbuttoning Kojiro’s jacket. He pushes it off Kojiro’s shoulders as much as he can before slipping his fingers around the knot of his tie, loosening it until it falls apart. When he tosses it onto the floor, it seems to jostle Kojiro enough that he breaks the kiss. He's in the middle of shrugging his jacket off his arms when he pauses and fixes Kaoru with a bewildered look.
“Wait, Kaoru. What exactly are you wanting?” Kojiro says. He looks a bit concerned, and Kaoru doesn’t like his hesitation.
“You don’t want this?”
“That’s not... I asked what you want, Kaoru.”
“I want you to take this off,” Kaoru says, tugging at the collared white shirt still clinging to Kojiro’s body. He moves his hands to his own jacket and tie, starting to undo them. “Then I want you to take mine off.”
Kojiro curses under his breath and does as he’s told, removing his shirt to reveal the tan muscles that he’s always displaying at S. Somehow, it’s different like this in the dim lighting of the hotel room with Kojiro looming over him, a hungry look in his eyes. The sun tattoo on his shoulder draws Kaoru’s attention just before he drags his gaze further down his torso, hovering on his defined abs and the thin trail of green hair leading into his pants. Kaoru can only hope his mouth isn’t hanging open at the sight.
“See something you like?” Kojiro murmurs. He's leaning down to tug Kaoru’s jacket off along with his loosened tie, tossing them to the other side of the wide bed where his own clothes lie. Then he starts the tedious process of unbuttoning Kaoru’s shirt. “That look you’re giving me is gonna drive me insane.”
“Yeah? Well, I wouldn’t be complaining.”
“Fuck, Kaoru.”
Kojiro has just tossed Kaoru’s shirt to the side, and now his eyes flit around his bare torso shamelessly. He splays a hand on his stomach, dragging it over to curl around his waist. He presses his thumb firmly into the dip of his side. Kaoru can’t suppress a whimper from escaping his lips, and the sound draws Kojiro’s eyes back up to his face.
“What do you want, Kaoru?” Kojiro says. “Tell me, and I’ll give it to you.”
Kaoru wants a lot of things with Kojiro. He's feeling a bit selfish, and his grasp on his composure is slowly slipping away the more Kojiro’s eyes roam his body. Kaoru sucks his lower lip between his teeth, feeling heat spreading across his cheeks.
“Want you to fuck me,” Kaoru breathes out.
“Fuck. Fuck. Kaoru.” Kojiro lowers himself down quickly to kiss him again. It’s full of too much teeth and tongue, but Kaoru wouldn’t have it any other way. Kojiro speaks between kisses. “You want that, baby? Mmm... I can do that.”
“Yeah?” Kaoru says, gasping out when Kojiro’s hips roll against him, the hardness of his erection pressing into Kaoru’s. “Please. Want that.”
Kaoru scrambles to unbuckle both their belts, slipping them off one at a time and throwing them blindly to the floor. Kojiro has gone back to kissing him deeply, pressing his tongue inside with a firmness that makes Kaoru moan. Kojiro has lifted his body to allow Kaoru to work his pants far enough down to release his cock. Kaoru does the same for himself before grabbing Kojiro’s hips to pull him back down.
They moan into each other’s mouths simultaneously. The friction of their hard cocks rubbing together is so satisfying, and Kaoru can’t help thrusting up to chase the feeling. Kojiro groans, immediately matching his movements with a building roll of his own hips. It becomes faster and more consistent. Their cocks slide together, aided by the precome they’re both leaking.
Kojiro leans his forehead against Kaoru’s, little huffs of warm breath fanning his face. He has one hand pillowing the back of Kaoru’s head, his nails scratching pleasantly along his scalp.
“Mmph. Kaoru,” Kojiro moans. “I don’t know if I can stop. You want—should I stop?”
Kaoru doesn’t want him to stop, but he also knows that Kojiro is warning him that he’s approaching his release too quickly at the rate they’re going in. He tightens his hold around Kojiro’s hips to still him, pushing him away. It’s when he chances a glance down that his eyes widen.
“Fuck, you’re big,” Kaoru hears himself say. “Why the fuck are you so big?”
“If that’s gonna be a problem, we don’t have to—”
“N-No, it’s not. Wait just a minute, will you?” Kaoru moves a hand to Kojiro’s chin, gripping it between his fingers to ensure Kojiro’s attention is on him. “You’ll make sure it’s not a problem, right? You do have lube, right?”
Kojiro nods hastily, an affirming sound leaving his throat. “Yeah, I do.”
Kaoru can’t hold back an amused smirk from forming on his lips. “Why do you have lube, Kojiro?”
“I always have lube.” He rolls his eyes at whatever look is on Kaoru’s face. “I wasn’t going to fuck around with anybody. And I wasn’t planning on... this. But, you know... I like to be prepared.”
“Yeah? For the off chance that you’ll finally get to fuck your best friend?”
“God, Kaoru. You really have a filthy fucking mouth, don’t you?”
“For you, I do,” Kaoru says. “I can show you how filthy it can be. In other ways. I’m sure you understand.”
Kojiro pushes himself off the bed with an obvious amount of effort, cursing the entire way over to his suitcase in the corner of the room. He shuffles out of his pants on the way. Kaoru giggles as he rifles through the inner pockets, rolling around before eventually settling himself further up the bed. He kicks his pants off until they fall to the floor. Then he grabs a pillow and stuffs it underneath his ass, letting his legs fall open.
Kojiro is looking down at the bottle in his hand when he returns, and he freezes at the edge of the bed when he finally looks up. Another muttered expletive makes its way past his gritted teeth as he drags his greedy eyes along Kaoru’s smooth thighs. He's still admiring the view as he climbs onto the bed with the lube clutched tightly in his hand.
“Careful, or you might break the bottle,” Kaoru says with a smirk. He wiggles his hips as a clear invitation. “Come on then.”
“The more this night goes on, the more I feel like I’m in a dream.”
Kojiro snaps open the bottle, squeezing some of the clear substance onto his fingers, rubbing them together to warm it up. He shuffles into the space between Kaoru’s parted legs, slowly sliding his fingers along the crease of his ass.
“Best damn dream you’ve ever had,” Kaoru says. He tries to say it smugly, but it ends up coming out with a lot more breath than he’d intended.
The pad of Kojiro’s index finger circles his hole, teasing it a bit before slipping in to the first knuckle. Kojiro hums at the way Kaoru flutters around him.
“I hope it continues. I’d be disappointed if it ended now.”
“You dream about me often? Like this?”
“All the time, baby,” Kojiro says as he slips his finger all the way inside. Kaoru whimpers as he begins pushing it in and out. “Though you’re a lot louder in my dreams.”
“Guess you’ll have to—mmph—make me loud.”
“That’s a challenge I’m willing to take.”
Once his single finger is moving smoothly, he eases another inside. Kaoru arches his back and hisses from the slight sting, and Kojiro slows down his movements until he relaxes. He starts parting them in a scissor-like motion to stretch him more, twisting and curling them around. When he adds a third finger, Kaoru chokes out a whine. Kojiro asks if he’s doing okay, but Kaoru only tells him to keep going.
Kojiro’s free hand rubs soothingly along his thigh, and then he pushes his leg up to lean down and kiss the back of it. Heat sears across Kaoru’s face at the way the new position opens him wider, and Kojiro plunges his fingers inside him even more efficiently. Kojiro busies his mouth against his inner thigh, keeping his eyes glued to where his fingers are disappearing inside Kaoru. He finally slips in a fourth finger, murmuring a string of praises as he pauses to allow Kaoru to adjust.
“Fuck,” Kaoru curses. He's clutching at either side of the pillow underneath his head. “It’s so much. Mmngh. Feel so full.”
“Too much?” Kojiro says.
“I’m f-fine. Gonna take you just fine.”
Kojiro hums in agreement, continuing to thrust his fingers in and out. The motion makes Kaoru’s hips rock, and Kaoru has to dig his foot into the mattress to press himself onto Kojiro’s persistent fingers. His breaths are coming out rough. The way Kojiro is grazing his teeth and sucking at delicate skin to leave yet another rosy bruise on Kaoru's inner thigh doesn’t help to calm him down. Not that he wants to calm down. On the contrary, he wants Kojiro to switch gears and fuck him properly.
“Come on. I’m ready,” Kaoru says around another shaky breath.
“Oh? You want me now?”
Kojiro says it as if he’s intending on prolonging the torturously pleasant slide of his fingers inside Kaoru. But he only drives them back in a few more times before pulling them out and grabbing haphazardly for the lube bottle. It’s clear that Kojiro shares the same desperation as Kaoru, his hands fumbling to pop open the cap and pour the viscous substance along his cock. Kaoru would laugh if he wasn’t so distracted by the pure, aching want in his gut.
Kojiro has a dazed look in his dilated eyes when he grabs one of Kaoru’s hips and uses his other hand to drag the head of his cock through the sticky mess between his cheeks. Kaoru gives a deliberate roll of his hips and whines, trying to wordlessly prompt Kojiro to hurry up.
Kojiro’s eyes flit up to his face. “I’m gonna start.”
Kaoru just nods. He’s holding his breath so intently that it’s all he can do until a grunt is forced from his lips as Kojiro’s cock slowly breaches him. His mouth gradually drops open with each inch that slides in. He doesn’t realize how tense he is until Kojiro starts rubbing firm circles into his hip with his thumb.
“Breathe, Kaoru. Try to relax.”
Kojiro stops moving and holds himself there as Kaoru follows his instructions, allowing himself to inhale deeply. He feels himself fluttering around Kojiro, and he notices how it causes Kojiro to close his eyes with a groan. This piques his curiosity, and he clenches down more firmly.
“Gah—ah. Sh-Shit. Fuck,” Kojiro stammers. He opens his eyes to meet Kaoru’s playful smirk. “I’m trying to let you relax.”
“I’m only trying to get used to the feeling,” Kaoru says, still grinning.
“Being a brat now?” Kojiro pushes in another inch, and the smile dips from Kaoru’s face as his throat vibrates with a moan. “Always trying to rile me up, aren’t you?”
“If it makes you m-move faster.”
“Kaoru, we need to start slow. I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Fine. Then hurry up and go slow.”
Kojiro seems unable to hold back a quivering laugh, and he looks down at Kaoru with something adoring in his gaze. It causes Kaoru’s face to grow hotter, threatening to overwhelm him along with Kojiro stuffing his cock further inside him. He decides to shift his focus to controlling his breaths, and it helps the tension seep out of his body.
When Kojiro’s pelvis presses against Kaoru’s ass, he stops moving, and Kaoru realizes he’s all the way inside. He feels truly filled to the brim. Kojiro is carefully maneuvering Kaoru’s calves to sit on his shoulders so that he can lean over him properly, his hands splaying on either side of Kaoru’s head.
“How are you doing?” Kojiro says, and his voice is filled with the highest level of care.
“Fine. I feel like I’m going to split in half, but I’ll live.”
“Mm, we wouldn’t want that to happen.” Kojiro lets his head hang down, his green hair fluttering lower where the ends tickle Kaoru’s skin. “Fuck, you feel good. You’re perfect, Kaoru.”
Kaoru can’t help the embarrassed sound traveling up his throat. “You can’t just say stuff like that.”
“Why not? You are, Kaoru. You’re perfect. Beautiful. Too smart for your own good. I can’t stand you, but I also can’t stand to be away from you.”
“Th-That’s enough,” Kaoru says, batting at his arms.
Kojiro lifts his head as he grabs one of Kaoru’s hands to press it into the mattress. He laces their fingers together.
“You’re mine, Kaoru. I hope you know that.”
He follows up his comment by turning his head to press a lingering kiss to Kaoru’s calf. The gentle contact burns in the best possible way. Kaoru raises his free hand to trace a finger along Kojiro’s jawline, curling a tuft of hair behind his ear.
“You can move now,” Kaoru says.
Keeping his hand laced in Kaoru’s on the bed, Kojiro slowly pulls out to the tip before pushing back in. Each subsequent slide of his cock increases in speed, and soon Kaoru’s range of speech has devolved into muttered curses and wanton moans. Kojiro obviously knew how to move his body, snapping his hips forward to draw a ripple of sharp gasps from Kaoru’s loosened lips. Kaoru can’t find it in himself to care about how debauched he must look from Kojiro’s perspective.
The room is filled with the sound of slapping skin and the squeak of the bedframe. Each roll of Kojiro's body results in one or both of them moaning, and Kojiro’s pleasured sounds only cause more blood to rush down into Kaoru’s cock. Kaoru feels it slapping against his stomach, hard and unbearably heavy. His free hand slips away from Kojiro’s bicep to settle between them, wrapping around his cock and starting to pump it in time with Kojiro’s thrusts.
“Oh, fuck yes, baby,” Kojiro says with a groan. “Are you close?”
“Mhm. Mm. Yeah.”
Kaoru doesn’t have much capacity for words at the moment, his mind fully set on pushing himself closer to the edge. He can tell that Kojiro is almost there as well, and he wants to come with Kojiro inside of him. Kojiro’s movements are still firm, albeit with a bit more of a tremble to them. His hips veer to the side, causing the angle to change slightly. It seems to do wonders because his cock starts prodding right into Kaoru’s prostate. Kaoru cries out at the spark of stimulation.
“Ahh. Koji, please. Right there. Mmngh. Keep going.”
Kojiro curses, and he curls his hand tighter around Kaoru’s thigh as he keeps up his relentless pace. Kaoru chokes out moan after moan with each plunge of Kojiro’s cock deep inside him. He squeezes his hand around his own cock, his strokes quickening as he’s brought closer to the edge. He gazes up at Kojiro’s lewd expression, doing his best to memorize the loll of his jaw, his half-lidded eyes, and the persistent wrinkle between his thick eyebrows.
He wants to remember this. He loves having Kojiro above him, driving his hips into him with an unmatched fervor that Kaoru has never experienced with anyone else. He loves this. He loves Kojiro.
“I’m yours. Fuck, Koji. I’m yours,” Kaoru cries out as his body tenses up with the force of his orgasm. He writhes underneath Kojiro, feeling the twitch of his own cock as it spurts hot liquid onto his stomach and chest.
Kojiro only slightly slows his movements, but he continues snapping his hips against Kaoru. There’s a wild look in his eyes that contributes to the shudder currently racking Kaoru’s body.
“Fuck. Oh, fuck, Kaoru. I’m gonna come inside. Is that okay?”
Kaoru nods and arches his back, humming happily from the lingering buzz of pleasure still thrumming throughout his body.
“Please, Koji. Wanna feel you.”
Kojiro moans and pistons his hips faster, the bed jolting with his lurching motion. He's holding onto Kaoru’s waist with a grip hard enough to bruise. Kaoru hopes it does. He wants to look in the mirror the next morning to admire the visual evidence from tonight.
Kojiro thrusts a few more times before burying himself deep and stilling. He rasps out Kaoru’s name alongside sweet praises. Kaoru whimpers from the hot come filling him, and he feels some of it seeping out onto the sheets.
“You did so good, baby,” Kojiro says. “My Kaoru.”
Kaoru blushes intensely at the use of ‘my’ in front of his name. By the time Kojiro pulls out and collapses beside him, Kaoru has decided that the sticky mess on his stomach and inside him needs to be cleaned up. He doesn’t move or speak for a good few minutes though, and neither does Kojiro. When Kojiro finally turns and attempts to throw his arm over Kaoru, he flinches away.
“We’re filthy,” Kaoru says, despite wanting to snuggle into his touch.
“Yeah? What if I don’t care?”
Kojiro is still trying to inch closer to Kaoru, which is an absolute predicament. Because if Kaoru allows it to happen, then they’re never going to get up, and they’ll be forced to sleep in their mess. And Kaoru would rather not see the results of their irresponsibility toward proper hygiene the next morning.
“Shower first. Or you’ll be sleeping on the floor.”
“Kaoru,” Kojiro whines petulantly. “I wanna cuddle with you.”
Kaoru sighs heavily. “I never said you have to shower alone.”
Kojiro sits up at that, his eyes shining with excitement. “Really?”
“Down boy. Don’t get your drool all over the clean side of the bed.” When Kojiro shuffles off the bed, Kaoru lifts his arms toward him. “Carry me.”
“Yes, princess,” Kojiro says with an amused huff. He slips his hands underneath Kaoru’s thighs and lifts him. Kaoru curls his arms around Kojiro’s neck and sighs into the crook as they move to the bathroom.
Kaoru really hadn’t been intending on anything happening while they scrubbed each other’s bodies down. But when Kojiro’s lips meet his own, he doesn’t push him away. And then they’re grabbing at every inch of skin they can feasibly reach while under the relaxing spray of warm water.
They quickly jerk each other off, and Kaoru tips his head back against the tile wall with Kojiro’s teeth lightly grazing his neck. His moan echoes around the enclosed space. He vaguely registers Kojiro squirting more soap into his hand, lathering it into a fluffy white foam before working it down Kaoru’s lower body. He does the same with his own, and then it isn’t long before the water washes them clean.
When they’re out of the shower and dried off, Kojiro strips the soiled top sheet from the bed before they get in. They’ve turned off all but one lamp on the bedside table. Kaoru has quickly changed into his comfortable sleeping kimono while Kojiro only throws on some shorts. Kaoru pretends to be annoyed when Kojiro tugs him against his chest and inhales deeply against his neck.
“Why are you incapable of wearing a shirt... ever?” Kaoru grumbles. He contradicts his own words as he presses closer to Kojiro, slotting a leg between his and curling an arm around his waist. He feels Kojiro shaking with a soundless laugh.
“Like you’re upset about it.”
“We’re not talking about me.”
He can feel Kojiro’s grin against his neck, and it makes him smile, too. They remain that way for a few comfortable minutes, just relaxing into each other’s touch. Kaoru is threading his fingers through Kojiro’s unruly hair, combing out the tangles with gentle, practiced precision. Kojiro hums appreciatively with each drag of Kaoru’s nails against his scalp.
“Did you have fun at the wedding?” Kojiro says.
“Believe it or not, I did.”
“Oh yeah? What was your favorite part?”
“The free wine.”
Kojiro hums, nuzzling his face closer. “What about your second favorite part?”
Kaoru grins when he realizes that Kojiro is trying to push him toward a different answer. He isn’t quite done being difficult. After all, Kojiro had kept him waiting for all these years, so he believes Kojiro can deal with a little teasing.
“The sushi was also exceptional. I’m going to need someone to steal the recipe they used for that soy sauce dip.”
“Kaoru.”
“Yes, gorilla?”
“Didn’t you like dancing with me?”
“Hmm. You came very close to stepping on my toes a few times,” Kaoru says, as if he’s putting a lot of thought into his technique. “Could use some work.”
Kojiro huffs and tightens his hold around Kaoru, slumping more heavily into the mattress. He grumbles a quiet complaint about Kaoru being mean, and Kaoru just knows that he’s pouting into his neck. Kaoru allows a minute to pass in silence before finally deciding to show him some mercy.
“To be honest, I wasn’t really having much fun until you pulled me onto the dancefloor,” Kaoru says softly. He thinks Kojiro doesn’t hear him at first. But then Kojiro’s hand starts rubbing along his back.
“Really?”
“Yeah. I... I really enjoyed it. Dancing with you is fun. Really fun. It... it’s embarrassing, but... it felt like it was just us there. When we were dancing.”
Kojiro moves his face away from Kaoru’s neck to look at him properly. He’s smiling with an overwhelming amount of admiration in his gaze. His smile is infectious, and Kaoru feels his own lips curl higher. He feels Kojiro’s hand settling on his jaw to swipe a strand of hair behind his ear, then he leans in to press their lips together. He has that same look on his face even when he pulls away.
“I agree,” Kojiro says, and Kaoru tilts his head for him to go on. “Dancing with you is fun. Being with you is fun.”
Kaoru feels a question that’s been gnawing at him all night rising up once again. For the last two weeks since he was invited to the wedding, actually. He feels like it’s obvious now, with all that’s happened. But it had still been something he contemplated in his head up until the day of the event.
“Is that why you invited me as your plus one?” Kaoru says.
“Of course, princess. Who else would I invite?”
“I don’t know. There’s plenty of people at S.”
He doesn’t say it out loud, but Kojiro must be able to read into his worries about having a girl chosen over him. Plus ones were usually romantic interests. Up until tonight, Kaoru hadn’t been sure why he’d been Kojiro’s first choice. Kojiro furrows his eyebrows and makes a disapproving sound.
“No. You’re not going to do that,” Kojiro says. “You’re thinking that I would have even considered choosing someone else over you. Well, I’m here to tell you that there was no chance of that. So you don’t need to worry your pretty little head.”
He ends his statement with a kiss to Kaoru’s forehead. He doesn’t stop there, moving lower to pepper kisses on both sides of his face until Kaoru’s fussing turns into laughter.
“Okay, I get it. Fine! I believe you.”
Kojiro lets out a pleased hum, then slots their lips together to kiss him slowly. Kaoru finds himself calming down, the anxious thoughts dissipating from his mind. He feels so relaxed and safe in Kojiro’s arms, warm under the sheets, the quietness of the room making his exhaustion finally set in.
“Can we sleep now?” Kaoru says between slow kisses.
Kojiro hums, giving him one last lingering kiss before pulling away to fiddle with the lamp. The room fades into darkness. Kaoru turns over onto his side and waits for Kojiro to settle against his back. Kojiro curls his arm around his waist and buries his face into the crown of Kaoru’s hair.
“Good night, Kaoru.”
Kaoru makes a small noise of acknowledgment, pressing himself back against Kojiro. His eyes slowly drift closed, and he’s left with the thought of how grateful he is to have Kojiro in his life.