Chapter Text
The sky through the windows of the CosPro office were dark, glittering with city lights, but the party within was only just beginning. Bunches of wine-red balloons had been tied up, golden streamers criss-crossing between them, and bundles of acanthus flowers had been tucked away where they could be seen in all their glory, but were safe.
“Wow, it’s real pretty in here! You did a great job, Deputy Director,” Mika exclaimed, pressing his hands together as he turned to look around the room.
Ibara shook his head, waving a hand. “Oh, no, no! Don’t thank me. His Highness did all the decorating. Jun and I merely followed his directions.”
“Eh, Tomoe-senpai did?”
“Well, I couldn’t possibly let Ibara handle it. He’s not exactly got the best eye for interior design.” Hiyori’s tone was light and airy as he adjusted one of the bundles of flowers, fluffing up the purple ribbon that bundled them together. “Thank you, Mika-kun. You are really so very adorable.”
Ibara simply smiled at Hiyori, vaguely pained, before turning his attention back to Mika. “Thank you both for agreeing to this party. It’s good for the staff to have something to celebrate sometimes, yes?”
Shu frowned. “I don’t see why anyone else is so invested in our song being released as to warrant a party.”
“Aw, c’mon, Oshi-san. We worked real hard, innit nice to get to celebrate what we do for once?” Mika asked, and Shu grumbled in response, folding his arms across his chest.
“It’s more that I’m worried about you. There’s going to be a lot of people here, you know, and I’m not sure you’ve fully recovered yet.”
“Ah, but I know ‘em all. I’ll be fine. An’ I’m feelin’ a lot better now, too. You don’t gotta worry ‘bout me.”
They had finally released Acanthe earlier in the week, and Ibara had pushed and prodded at them to hold a small party in celebration. Shu had been resistant, but Mika seemed so excited at the prospect that he eventually relented, just to keep Mika smiling. But he still wondered if it had been the right choice. Despite Mika’s insistence that he was fine, Shu couldn’t put the image of Mika, unconscious, from his mind. “Just don’t push yourself tonight, Kagehira. If you start to feel unwell, it is okay to leave.”
“Okay, Oshi-san. If I start feelin’ funny, I’ll let you know,” Mika answered, and Shu allowed himself to relax, just a bit. At least Mika was trying to look out for himself.
“I hope I’m not late,” a voice called out. Rei was poking his head in from around the corner. Shu shook his head at him.
“Early, I’d say. Not many other people are here yet.”
Rei smiled as he stepped inside. “Oh, excellent. Thank you again for inviting me, even though I’m from another agency.”
“You’re still Oshi-san’s friend, though, of course we’d want ya to be here,” Mika added, and Rei’s smile grew.
“Ah, I am blessed with good friends, aren’t I? Oh, and congratulations to you both. Your song was very beautiful.”
“Thank you, Sakuma.”
The others they’d invited began to trickle in, and soon, despite their efforts to keep the guest list short, the office was filled with people and noise. There was no escaping it, either - after all, Shu and Mika were the center of attention, the whole reason everyone was here. Shu watched Mika closely out of the corner of his eye, cradling a cup of water. Mika was talking animatedly to Tsumugi, waving his hands to illustrate some point. Hm, he looks okay.
“Itsuki-kun! Hello there,” a bright voice sang out, and Shu turned around.
“Oh, Narukami. If you’re looking for Kagehira, he’s over there.” He gestured over to Mika, and Arashi shook her head.
“No, I was looking for you! Congratulations.”
Shu raised an eyebrow. “Ah…thank you,” he replied uncertainly. “Looking for me, though?”
“Yes! I listened to the song this morning, it’s so romantic, isn’t it? Being so devoted to each other, and that line about sharing a kiss to inspire your heart - I’m almost a little jealous, I wish someone would write a song like that about me.”
“Jealous…?” Shu felt his face growing warm, and he cleared his throat, flapping his hand at her. “Don’t get the wrong idea. It’s just a story. Nothing personal about it.”
“Hm? Ah, of course it’s just a story!” Narukami exclaimed, but her face showed that she didn’t truly believe what she was saying.
Mika glanced over his shoulder at Arashi and Shu. He only just barely heard the words that were exchanged, but he could see the way Shu, flustered, was trying to hide his face behind a cup of water. Why’s he so embarrassed?
“Mika-chan, is something wrong?” Tsumugi asked, concerned, and Mika shook his head.
“Ah, nah. It’s nothin’.”
Several hours later, the office had fallen silent, the partygoers having gone home - except for Shu and Mika, who had volunteered to clean up afterwards. Shu was standing on a small step stool, taking down a bundle of streamers, and Mika stood below to catch them to stuff into a trash bag.
“Hey, uh, Oshi-san, can I ask ya ‘bout somethin’?”
“I’m listening.” Shu hopped down off the step stool, moving onto the next bunch, and Mika followed, dragging the bag along behind him.
“Um, I saw ya talkin’ to Naru-chan earlier about the song, and ya seemed real embarrassed about it. Yanno, insistin’ that it’s all just a story.”
Shu froze in place, then winced. Of course Mika had heard that. Desperate to save face, he turned away, and made a great show of undoing the ties on the streamers. “She just caught me off guard. I didn’t realize she would think it was so personal.”
“It kinda is, though, isn’t it? I mean, we spent a lotta time talkin’ about how we related to the song, didn’t we?” Mika picked up one of the streamers, looking down at how the light shimmered off of it. “When I asked to make those changes to the story, I was thinkin’ about us. Not just…a story.” His voice was melancholy, and Shu stopped, lowering his hands. Had he hurt Mika?
He stepped down, looking into Mika’s eyes, and then, faced with their surprising intensity, coughed and looked away. “Ah, I should tell you something. When you were unconscious, or - whatever it was that happened. You said you don’t really remember those days, correct?”
Mika nodded. “It’s all a big fog, like my head’s wrapped in cloth. Real stuffy in there.” He tapped his head with the heel of his palm to emphasize.
Hesitant, Shu again forced himself to meet Mika’s expectant gaze. “Well, when you were, asleep, I, ah,” he coughed, cleared his throat, tried again, “I, ah, was going to, um- well, you know, the prince awakens the princess with a…kiss…and all that…” his voice trailed off lamely into silence. Mika blinked at him, confused.
“What?”
“I was going to kiss you,” Shu managed to choke out. “But you woke up.”
Mika scratched his head, still looking lost, and Shu watched him helplessly, before he suddenly perked up. “Oh, so that’s why your face was so close when I woke up!”
“That’s what you take away from that?”
Mika gave an embarrassed laugh. “Uh, well, not just that. I guess, hearin’ ya mention it now, I’m a little sad I woke up then, yanno?” He stuffed another streamer into the trash bag, looking thoughtful, then set it down. “Um, O-Oshi-san -“ It was his turn to be nervous, and he looked shyly at Shu. “We’re alone now, so if ya want, you can kiss me here?”
Shu practically stopped breathing. Kiss? Mika? Here? He was glad he wasn’t on the step stool, or else he might have fallen off.
“Um, it’s fine if you don’t want to.”
“N-no,” Shu hurriedly said. “I do-“ He stepped closer to Mika, who was looking back at him with wide eyes. His hand was shaking, and he grabbed Mika’s own, both of them, just to steady himself, before he leaned in, and brushed a small kiss on Mika’s lips, the momentary, featherlight brush of a bird’s down.
He pulled back, and Mika was smiling, before he suddenly giggled. “Mm, that was real sweet, jus’ like I thought it would be.”
“Huh?”
“I’ve been wantin’ ya to do that for ages.” Mika tightened his hold on Shu’s hands. “But I kinda wish it was a little longer, like this-“ he then returned the kiss, but he let it linger, demanding Shu’s attention, and Shu was all too willing to give it, feeling as though he was finally surfacing from beneath the waves. When Mika finally broke it off, Shu had to restrain himself from pulling him back in. Instead, he wrapped Mika in an embrace, holding him tightly, and Mika breathed out a happy sigh as he entwined his arms around Shu in return.
Shu didn’t know how long it had been before Mika spoke again. “Um…Oshi-san, this is real nice an’ all, but we should prolly finish cleaning…but we can do that again sometime, right?”
Shu released Mika, before planting a tiny kiss on his forehead. “Of course. Whenever you want.”