Chapter Text
Inaho had never been one to comfort. It put him in an awkward position as his skills were severely lacking. However, he felt relief as Slaine allowed himself to unravel in front of Inaho. It meant that he trusted Inaho and that he was finally revealing himself instead of building up any walls or inhibitions.
Inaho watched Slaine, wondering if he should unlock their hands or not. Personally, he felt nice like this. That was the problem. Inaho normally wouldn’t take any kind of enjoyment out of holding hands with anyone, so why was Slaine any different?
Inaho internally sighed. He wasn’t an idiot, and definitely not clueless on what his previous thoughts might have been indicating. He just didn’t want to accept it. He surely wasn’t going to admit it either, that Slaine had become a special entity in such a short amount of time.
Slaine was still crying but Inaho couldn’t get over how beautiful Slaine’s face looked. Slaine’s eyelashes were long, glistening from the tears that reflected the twilight that had slowly surrounded them.
Quick seconds slowed to dragging minutes. How long had he been sitting here just staring at Slaine?
Eventually, Slaine’s sobbing turned to sniffles and hiccups of former wails.
“…Inaho?” Slaine looked up and the remaining tears fell from his face. His eyes were red and voice hoarse, but a certain shine had reentered his eyes.
“Inaho,” Slaine tried again when Inaho didn’t respond the first time. “Inaho, my hand. You’re squeezing it too tightly.” Slaine smiled a bit.
Inaho looked at their intertwined hands before he let go. A pang of loneliness hit him when the warmth of Slaine’s hand was gone, but it’d be irrational for him to grab Slaine’s hand again.
“I didn’t know how to comfort you.” Inaho shifted awkwardly. His recent realization dragging in his mind. “Sor-”
“Thank you.” Slaine interrupted him. “Thank you for listening and for being here.” Slaine was smiling, not that hollow shell of a smile he tried to pass off earlier in the day. This smile was bright, like the weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders.
Honestly, Inaho wanted to look away. He’d never been in this kind of a situation before and he didn’t want his face to betray any of his emotions. He didn’t though. His desire to burn Slaine’s smile into his brain was too overwhelming.
Inaho pushed all his current thoughts to the back of his mind. He’ll review them later, when he’s alone. His first priority was making sure Slaine was okay, to show Slaine that he cares about his wellbeing.
Inaho closed his eyes briefly before focusing again on Slaine’s face.
“Thank you for sharing with me.” Inaho didn’t waver, “it was brave of you to do that.”
Slaine could feel the color rush to his cheeks. Out of every possible way the conversation following his crying could have gone, Inaho complimenting him wasn’t one of the outcomes he predicted.
He knew Inaho could tell that he was baffled. Inaho was relentless though.
“You are very strong. I’m happy you could trust me after I triggered you. Slaine, tha-”
Slaine rushed to cover Inaho’s mouth with his hands. “Stop talking.” He glared at Inaho and knew very well that he was practically a tomato at this point. “You are so embarrassing.”
Inaho simply laid his hands on Slaine’s arms before removing them from obstructing his face.
“You’re feeling better,” Inaho stated. He could’ve mentioned it differently, instead asking if Slaine was feeling better but it was evident that Slaine had loosened up again. Inaho wouldn’t mention it, but in the span of a few hours he came to miss Slaine’s reactions.
Slaine moved his hands to cover his face instead. “Only you, Orange, can be so sappy with such a straight face.” Slaine groaned.
“And only you, Bat, can become so animated in a matter of seconds.” Inaho paused for a bit, wondering if he might have stepped on a landmine right after fixing his previous mistake.
Slaine only glared through his fingers, an obvious act of playful anger.
Inaho let out a breath that he didn’t even know notice he was holding and relaxed his shoulders, the corner of his lips coming up to form a ghost of a smile.
“AH!” Slaine gasped, “you smiled!”
“I have no recollection of mentioning that I never do.” Inaho’s comeback was so like him that Slaine had to physically refrain from rolling his eyes.
During their conversation, twilight had turned to dusk and ultimately night. The two didn’t seem to notice the time passing by until Slaine’s phone buzzed in his pocket.
“Oh sorry, I have to take this.” Slaine stood from the swing he had been seated at for so long and excused himself for a moment. The lack of movement from sitting for so long had taken its toll and Slaine stumbled a bit when he got up.
Slaine quickly looked up and realized Inaho was covering his mouth.
“Don’t laugh,” Slaine barked at him before he turned his attention back to the caller on the other end.
Once Slaine’s back was to Inaho, he went ahead and allowed a slight chuckle to escape- well more like a shaking of shoulders- but it was the first time in a while. Inaho knew that he was smiling and tried to hide it when Slaine glanced over his should. To make sure Inaho wasn’t laughing.
Inaho watched Slaine’s figure from behind. Slaine was, in every sense of the word, captivating. It wasn’t just his looks, it was the way he presented himself. The way he would consider everything seriously and allowed his body to reflect his emotions. It was awe-inspiring…and the complete opposite of Inaho.
Inaho sighed. He was in for quite a journey.
While Inaho was lost in his thoughts, Slaine had made his way back to him.
“I thought I told you don’t laugh,” Slaine pouted, and Inaho felt a slight thump in his chest.
“You never saw me laugh.”
“You never denied that you laughed.”
“I never confirmed that I did.”
“You are insufferable, Orange!” Slaine exasperated, but he chuckled at the banter. It was so nice to finally open up and have someone that he could do this with.
Inaho made no comment to that and, instead, proceeded to check the time. “It’s late, we should go.” Inaho got up and dusted himself off.
“Hey, Inaho,” Slaine started as soon as Inaho and him reached the park entrance. Inaho recognized that glint in Slaine’s eyes and predicted Slaine’s next words. “Let’s race.”
He had predicted correctly. “No,” his response was instant. “You clearly proved that you could beat me in a race already.”
“You’re no fun. Let’s place a bet on it then?”
Inaho contemplated it for a moment before agreeing. “What is your condition?”
Slaine stood and thought for a while. Resignation in his eyes for not coming up with anything until he was suddenly struck with an idea.
“You have to send me a picture of you doing an embarrassing pose!”
Inaho wanted to back out of the bet. The odds of winning weren’t in his favor and he never expected a request like that from Slaine. However, his pride would not allow him to say no. He just had to win.
Inaho looked at Slaine for a bit, before he glanced at their pathway back.
“Slaine.” Inaho wasn’t looking at him, “go.”
Inaho started to sprint down. He could imagine the look of surprise that must be imprinted on Slaine’s face at the moment, but he had no time to look back and check. It only took a moment for Slaine to recover and Inaho could hear the footsteps quickly approaching him.
“Orange, that was cheap!” Slaine shouted.
Inaho didn’t respond. He made a mental note to say something later, but all his energy would be dedicated to making his legs move as fast as possible. Slaine closed the distance relatively quickly, but he expended a lot of energy doing so. It would be impossible for him to make a last sprint to the end.
Inaho ran. His bag was thudding against his side and his feet hitting the pavement added to the night melody. His pants mingled with Slaine’s, but they only served as the chorus. It was kind of surreal. Just them running as fast as they could with only the moon and stars watching. Cicadas and crickets buzzing and chirping in the background like a sonata. Their feet became the bass to the night song. Inaho wasn’t a romantic, but he felt like that moment belonged to them and them alone.
Inaho started to pull ahead when he saw the station. The lights and sounds of other people indicted that their race was about to end. The entrance to the station was only a bit away and Slaine was still slightly behind him. Inaho wondered what his back looked like to Slaine. He wondered if Slaine was having any thoughts about how desperate Inaho must seem to win.
The entrance was right in front of him. He would win. Inaho relaxed slightly to see that the end was here.
“No. You. Don’t!” Slaine gathered his remaining energy.
Inaho thought it seemed kind of cliché, like one of those movies that Yuki liked to watch. Slaine pushed forward, matching himself to Inaho. Inaho was honestly stunned and intrigued by the face Slaine was making as he continued to move up. It felt as though everything was in slow motion.
Inaho had sped up too, pulling himself even to Slaine. It was head-to-head and Inaho refused to back down. Just a few more steps!
Inaho gained the advantage. He knew that people were watching them and that they were being reckless, but his goal was right there. Inaho was definitely going to feel the effects of this run later.
15 more steps, Inaho was still in the lead, 10 more steps, Slaine had caught up again, 5 more steps, Slaine was ever so slightly forward but Inaho didn’t quit, goal.
They were both panting, heaving huge breaths of air as if it was their first time breathing. The bystanders had looks ranging from confusion to worry for the two boys that barely held their bodies up.
Inaho was still collecting his breath when he heard a laugh bubble from Slaine. It was lighthearted and, maybe to Inaho only, sounded like bells. Slaine continued to laugh for a bit before he turned to Inaho.
Smirk well-endowed on his face, Slaine faced Inaho, “it seems like it’s still my win.”
“It seems so.” Inaho finally collected himself, loathing the fact that he ever accepted Slaine’s condition.
“That was a dirty move back there.” Slaine and Inaho started to make their way towards the train, shaky legs and breathy voices.
“I said go,” Inaho replied.
“Yeah, after you started.”
“It was simultaneous,” Inaho defended, “the train is here.”
The two boys entered the almost empty train before they flopped unceremoniously onto the seats. They both wanted to talk, to say anything but the race had drained too much energy. It was only three minutes into the ride before Inaho saw Slaine’s neck leaning in an uncomfortable manner.
“The ride isn’t long and his neck is bound to hurt,” Inaho reasoned to himself before he carefully moved Slaine’s head to rest on his shoulder. Inaho turned his head the opposite way and watched the night scenery go by.
Once they made it to their station, Inaho had gotten up before waking up Slaine.
“We’re here? Sorry, I fell asleep,” Slaine mumbled groggily. “Thanks for actually waking me up this time.” He teased.
“Your welcome,” Inaho brushed it off, but his tone was slightly lighter than usual.
The two walked towards the station exit together in comfortable silence. Inaho was thankful for that. It was so much better compared to that oppressive silence he felt from Slaine earlier in the day.
“Oh yeah.” Slaine stopped when they arrived outside the station. “What was your condition going to be anyways?”
Inaho froze for a while, pondering his options. He didn’t actually think of one, but he fought so hard cause he knew for a fact that he didn’t want Slaine to win.
“I was going to think of it if I won,” he answered honestly.
“I see. Well don’t forget to send me what I won today.” Slaine reminded Inaho and turned to leave. “Bye.”
Slaine had gotten a little away before he heard Inaho call out to him.
“Slaine,” Inaho waited until he turned around, “you were cool today.”
“…you are so embarrassing, Inaho.” Slaine quickly twisted back around and let the cool air hit his face.
Inaho also started to head home after Slaine had walked away. Yuki had bombarded Inaho with questions as soon as he made it back and he apologized for not contacting her. Yuki had noticed Inaho’s pleasant mood however and quickly tried to jump to assumptions that maybe her adorable little brother might have found himself a nice girlfriend. He swiftly dissuaded her and headed to take a shower.
Once Inaho was in bed, he allowed the events of the day to playback in his head. All of Slaine’s expressions, the good and the bad, the deep talk they had, his realization of how he viewed Slaine, how they made up, the race, Slaine’s laughter and the weight of his head on Inaho’s shoulder.
Inaho shifted on his bed. His thoughts finally getting off of repeat and ending with the question Slaine last asked Inaho.
“What was your condition anyways?”
Inaho continued to think about it as he lulled to sleep. His last thoughts were about how nice a photo of Slaine would’ve been.
Slaine was staring at his ceiling. Finally after taking his shower and cooling down, Slaine remembered the events of the day. It was long and tiresome, but Slaine couldn’t say that he hated it.
Inaho may have been his trigger, but he was also his release. It felt like he was finally free now that he had a friend that he confided in. Inaho was a reliable friend. Slaine had come to realize that when he saw Inaho’s back as they were running.
His back was broad and comforting, like it was there to visibly show Slaine that Inaho would carry anything alongside him. Slaine’s thoughts also drifted towards Inaho’s compliments.
“It was brave of you. You are strong. You were cool.”
Slaine could feel himself heating up again over how embarrassing Inaho was and how unaffected he seemed by his own words. Slaine rolled around grumbling a bit about, “stupid Orange,” or how he remembered that Asseylum once said that Inaho looked cute when he smiled and Slaine could now say that he agreed, if ever so slightly.
Slaine came to a sudden stop and forced himself to stop and sleep before he had any weird thoughts. The last thing that he remembered though was that Inaho’s hands are very gentle and his shoulder was relaxing and warm.
The next day Inaho woke up and definitely regretted the race when he was faced with the challenge of getting out of bed. He decided to make it a lazy day and did homework and played Aldnoah, making note that Slaine was getting off and on.
Sunday for Slaine was as any other. He finished up his homework and dedicated the rest of his time to playing Aldnoah. He noticed that Inaho was active during the day every now and then, probably playing in-between plans or something. When night came around and Slaine was about to go to bed, he received a message.
>Orange
Picture attached below
Slaine scrolled down and had to contain his laughter. He didn’t know how long he laughed for, but his sides were hurting and he had tears running down his face. Inaho had definitely followed through with the bet and even went above and beyond Slaine’s expectations.