Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

If Nakamura was dreaming, then he never wanted to wake up.

And he must be, right? The likelihood of this heavenly chance befalling him was so inconceivable it made his head go fuzzy. Though, his head often felt that way around Hirose...

Ahh, his beloved Hirose...

"Nakamura?"

He jolted up in his chair, fixing his wide eyes on the boy in front of him. Hirose looked beautiful from every angle, but here standing over Nakamura's desk like this... if he hadn't been in a daze over what Hirose had just said, this alone would've been enough to do him in.

"A-Ah! You um, y-you want... you, me, at... ah?"

Hirose's posture drooped slightly, hand sliding down the bag slung over his shoulder. Nakamura immediately wanted to kick himself for ever marring that precious face with a look of disappointment. "If you don't want me to come over, it's okay; you don't have to say y-"

"N-No! Of course I'd like you over! I'd be honored! Please!"

Though obviously taken aback by Nakamura standing and slamming his hands down on his desk, Hirose recovered himself. His eyes brightened. "Ah, you sure?"

"Yes! Yes, very sure!"

Hirose let out a little laugh as light and surprised as his expression. Nakamura was shocked he didn't keel over backwards. Hirose was smiling and laughing because of him!  "I really appreciate it, Nakamura! I'd like to see your place."

With shaking, sweaty hands, Nakamura fumbled with his bag, pulling it over his shoulder. His foot caught on his desk leg as he tried to follow Hirose from the classroom, but luckily the other boy was too busy looking forward to notice. With any luck, he was too distracted to notice the heat that was surely radiating off his classmate's face too.

He couldn't believe this. He couldn't believe this!

He wasn't just walking Hirose to Sato's place. He wasn't just showing him around the neighborhood, he was bringing him back to his house! And he'd been the one to ask!

"Hey, I know it's pretty selfish of me to ask this... I mean, saying I wanna hang out to avoid Takeuchi... you must not think I'm a very nice person, huh?" he said, smiling rather ashamedly as they fell into step outside the school.

How he could ever think something so cruel and untrue about himself...

'Hirose, don't say such things... you're the sweetest, most loveable boy I've ever met. Never underestimate just how much kindness you have in that beautiful heart of yours...'

'Oh, Nakamura...'

"But I promise it's not like that."

Nakamura shook himself out of the delightful picture he'd painted in his head. Oh, he hadn't said anything, had he?

"I told Takeuchi I was busy cuz I honestly did wanna hang out with you. I don't really see you much outside school, do I?"

"Y-You, oh, yes, I mean, no! Never, really..." he swallowed, than with clenched hands, forced out, "I-I'd be really happy to hang out with you more too!"

Hirose sighed with a smile and stopped to face Nakamura fully, whose heart banged against his ribs. The wind blew softly at his chestnut hair, and Nakamura wished more than anything that he could reach out and brush it back into place.

They stared at each other for a few glorious, timeless seconds, then...

"Um... are you gonna unlock your bike?"

He stiffened, then creaked his head to the side. Oh, right.

His bike ticked along beside them as they walked, and Nakamura feasted in the trip, lengthened by the necessity of traveling on foot. It was a shame the bike wasn't big enough for two people though...

With a grin, Nakamura unfocused his eyes. He could practically feel it... Hirose's hands holding tight to his waste, his head on Nakamura's shoulder as he peddled them off into the sunset, his dearest giggling freely into the rushing air-

"You like living in Dangogaoka? It seems like a pretty nice area."

Nakamura blinked. "Um... y-yes, it's usually really calm." He glanced around. "It is a bit far from things, though..."

Hirose hummed in agreement. "It is, but sometimes that's nice. I kinda wish I lived a bit farther than other people. Seems like it would be calmer."

Eyes drawn back to his friend's face, Nakamura wondered. Did Hirose truly feel that way? He was always so good at talking to people at school... but he had made it clear how much he liked quiet time away from larger groups too, hadn't he? After all, he had decided to stay behind with him and Ohmori back at the school trip. Nakamura supposed that if Hirose really preferred crowds, he wouldn't have followed him into the aquarium back then either.

That perfect, perfect day...

"Aha, but you're probably bored of living somewhere so quiet and out of the way, huh? Bet that's why you said that. I guess you'd get tired of it after a while."

Nakamura shook his head. "N-No, it is nice here... I don't really have much of a reason to leave except when I go to school."

"Hm? What, you never go out with friends?"

A painful twisting of his heart made it hard for Nakamura not to stop abruptly. He made a strangled noise in his throat. Hirose would think he was so lame if he admitted not to having friends - there's no way he could say that!  What if he realized how much of a loser he was and decided to go off with Takeuchi after all?!

"W-Well, I like to visit the bookstore! S-So, yeah, I do go further into town sometimes!"

"Ohh," Hirose looked up at the sky thoughtfully. "That's right. You do like reading, don't you? Do you go for that stuff you like? The, um... bo... boysu... something-?"

"We're here!" he shouted, smiling forcefully and motioning to his house even though it was still half a block away.

 Never, never ever in a thousand years could Nakamura have seen this coming.

Hirose was actually inside of his house!

"I'm home," he murmured, peeking up through his bangs to greedily watch Hirose bend down to slip off his shoes.

"Thanks so much for having me!" he bowed, stepping further in and looking around. Just the sight of Hirose taking in his living space, the place he walked and breathed everyday... He fit in so perfectly.

"Are your parents home? I'd like to thank them for letting you take me here so suddenly."

His eyes widened. Oh, the very thought of introducing him to his parents was just...

"No, s-sorry, they both work until late..."

"Ah, that's okay. You have a little sister too, don't you?"

He clenched his hands at his sides. He still found himself far too distracted by his crush's presence in his entryway. "Y-Yes, but she's usually out until the sun sets."

"So, we're home alone? Cool!"

It was a miracle Nakamura didn't choke on his own tongue. If Hirose had any idea what those words had just done to him...

"A-Aha! Ahaha! Yeah, cool, really cool, right?!"

With bright interest, Hirose turned slowly on the spot, and with the boy's words echoing deliciously in his head, Nakamura thought he must've died and went to heaven without realizing. How else would an angel be standing before him like this?

"Y-You... you wanna go up t-to my room? T-To be alone there instead?" he asked in a wavering daze.

Hirose closed his eyes when he smiled. "Yeah! That'd be great!"

Nakamura felt his anticipation grow the closer they got up the stairs, and when he opened the door for Hirose, he stared at him hard, his stomach wriggling with worry. He hadn't anticipated Hirose's presence - he never could've anticipated that. What would he have changed if he knew ahead of time? His sheets weren't even straightened out and there was laundry bunched up at the base of his bed. Oh, no, Hirose probably thought he was such a slob!

"It's so neat in here... Woah! You have a pet octopus?!"

He blinked, watching Hirose fall to his knees in front of the tank. He poked his finger against the glass and smiled as a tentacle curled against it from the other side. "What's its name?"

"H-He's Icchan."

Hirose giggled. "Ahh, hello, Icchan! It's nice to meet you! I get why Nakamura likes you; you're probably the cutest octopus I've ever seen!"

Nakamura looked away. He never expected to be jealous of an octopus.

"Um... would you like anything to eat or drink? I can go bring us up something..."

Falling back on his knees, Hirose turned. "Oh, that's really nice of you. I'd be good with anything at all."

With a curt nod, Nakamura hurried back down the stairs. Once in the kitchen, he collapsed against the counter, breathing heavily in an attempt to calm himself down. Without Hirose in his direct line of sight, it really did feel like a dream. He wondered if the boy upstairs was really just a mirage brought about by insanity.

But his classmate was sitting right where he'd left him once he re-entered his room minutes later, carrying a tray set with tea and a couples snacks - ones he most definitely hadn't bought just because they happened to be what Hirose brought to school sometimes.

Too busy looking down at the tray to make sure he didn't spill anything, he could only see Hirose's lower body move, hand lowering his phone from his face. "Ah, those are my favorite!"

Nakamura grinned proudly, setting the tray beside them and looking up. Hirose had turned around and was sitting cross legged with his back to Icchan's table now, but Nakamura found his eyes drifting up past his friend, and his smile slid suddenly off his face.

Icchan had climbed up the glass of his tank and emerged from the water. He slid against the edge of the front pane, and Nakamura watched in horror as he started to fall.

"No!"

He lunged forward, throwing out his arms and catching the octopus just before he could fall on Hirose's head.

Hirose jumped, eyes widening in surprise and understanding when a tentacle slipped over Nakamura's hands and dangled before his face. "I-I guess I shouldn't have sat in front of his tank, huh?" he laughed nervously.

Nakamura glanced down irresistibly and nearly dropped his pet anyway. Their faces were barely an inch apart and his hands were pinned over Hirose's head.

He stood up abruptly with Icchan in his hands. "V-Very sorry! H-He likes escaping!"

Letting out a light 'oh,' Hirose started to giggle. Even in a moment like this, Nakamura appreciated how freely this sweet boy laughed. "So, that happens often?"

"S-Sometimes... but, maybe he just likes you," Nakamura mumbled, feeling him undulating in his hands while he attempted to coax him back into the water.

"Well, tell him I'm flattered."

Grinning weakly, Nakamura watched Icchan climb off his arms, and he finally sat back down. He closed his eyes with a sigh, extremely glad to have averted a terrible crisis.

So, it made his heart stutter when he felt a light brush against the skin of his arm, which his widening eyes revealed to be Hirose's fingers.

"He left some marks on you. Y'know, that would be kind of a cool tattoo, huh?"

Nakamura hoped dearly that Hirose couldn't feel the goosebumps on his flesh, though at the same time he found himself distracted by the thought of a cooler version of himself: taller with cut bangs and a long suction cup mark tattoo running down his muscular arms - one of which was being clung to be an enamored Hirose.

'Wow, Nakamura, you really are so awesome! And handsome too..."

He hadn't even noticed Hirose let go until he next spoke. "Mm, this tea is good. I'm not sure I've ever had it before - what is it?"

Nakamura shook his head. "O-Oh, my mom gets it from a friend at work... it's something foreign, so I can't actually read the box."

"Ah, well I'm happy to have it anyway. I've always been so impressed by people who can speak more than one language. It just takes so much work, y'know?"

Honestly, it was moments like these where Nakamura reflected that talking to Hirose really wasn't hard at all. Once he actually got the chance to get into a flow with him, it was much easier to relax and open up. Sure, the other boy was still doing most of the talking, but Nakamura could respond competently. Most of the time.

...And though he didn't want to jinx himself by recognizing it, he'd actually managed not to embarrass himself the whole talk. It must've been a record.

In fact, Nakamura had been so consumed in the conversation that he hadn't realized the slight shift in color from the light outside his window, nor the sound of his sister coming home. The only reason he noticed at all was because of the sharp slam of his door flying open.

"Would you quit laughing so loud, you-!" Kana stooped herself short, her look of fury turning to one of sheer bewilderment as her eyes found the visitor of the house. "What the-?"

"Leave me alone! C-Can't you see I'm busy?!"

She hmphed and crossed her arms. "Well, for once, it actually looks like you are. But that doesn't mean you can cackle like a witch; you and your boyfriend need to pipe down when I'm trying to study!"

Nakamura's voice squeaked like a dog whistle. "H-H-H-He's not my-!

"Yeah, yeah, just gimme some peace and quiet!"

And she slammed the door again, leaving them in a shocked and at least partially embarrassed silence. He knew he shouldn't have had that thought...

"Ah... I guess I can see what you mean about the little sister thing."

A bit of the bright color drained from Nakamura's face and he forced out a sigh. "Y-Yeah... I'm really s-sorry about her, um, calling you, I mean, saying... that..." he muttered off into silence.

But Hirose just tilted his head. "Oh, no that's alright. Y'know, my sister is always trying to boss me around, so she embarrasses me a lot too; I get it."

He looked up hopefully, noticing his friend's head turned in the direction of the window.

"But, geez, I really didn't notice how late it got... didn't see the sun set." He laughed. "I guess I was just really focused on blabbing."

"I-I didn't mind at all."

"Hmm... but maybe I should get ready to go home. I don't wanna get back too late. Do you think your parents are home yet?"

Nakamura let out a hum as he considered, before pulling his phone out to check the time. He blinked. It wasn't actually all that late. How come the sky seemed so dark?

At that moment, he got a text from his mom.

"Coming home early because of the..." he muttered. Wait...

Storm?

The two boys leapt in unison. A loud clap of thunder resounded from outside, almost immediately following a bright flash of lightning.

They both stared open-mouthed at the window, then turned to each other.

"I-I didn't realize there was gonna be thunder today."

Nakamura walked to his window. There were already heavy streaks of rain flowing down the glass. "M-Me neither..." He looked back at Hirose with concern, and a little guilt. If he'd just quit being so distracted earlier, maybe he could've checked his phone to notice the weather forecast. He could've made sure Hirose got out of here early enough the avoid the storm. But he just had to be greedy...

Hirose twisted his hands in front of his chest, looking to the side with some worry. "I dunno if it's a good idea to walk home in this... I guess I could call a ride home, but if it's stormy, it'll probably be hazardous, huh?" He clenched his hands, and Nakamura couldn't help staring down at his lower lip caught in a bite. "Um, Nakamura? Would it be okay if I waited out the storm a bit longer here?"

Nakamura forced his eyes back down at his phone screen. This storm wasn't going to end until well into the early hours of the morning. He parroted the information to Hirose, whose shoulders dropped.

He would never, ever forgive himself if he forced Hirose to walk home in that mess, nor could he stand the thought of sending him off to walk home alone at four in the morning. Hirose would be miserable, and he'd probably hate Nakamura for it too, wouldn't he?

The solution formed in his brain with the same shock as the next bolt of lightning outside his window. He didn't want to admit just how beautifully enchanting and exciting the idea was, especially not when Hirose probably would've preferred to just go home, but even so...

He swallowed, suddenly finding the words lodged in his throat. Oh... would he even be able to get it out? Taking a deep breath, he tried his best.

"W-Would you wanna stay the night?!" he all but yelled.

Hirose stared back at him. The fluttering in Nakamura's chest swirled about more intensely than ever at the bashful expression on his beloved’s face. The deepening of his perpetual blush... the down cast of his eyes and the shy curl up of his lips... oh, to ever have put an expression like that on Hirose's face... if lightning struck him through the roof right now, Nakamura would die happy.

"A-Ah, are you really sure? I know that's a lot to ask... Well, if it's really okay with you, then... should we go down to wait for your parents? Make sure they're okay with it?"

Nakamura nodded in a daze, leading Hirose back down the stairs. He was slightly surprised to see him pad over to the kitchen, but with a jolt to his heart at the delightful image, he realized he'd taken down the tray Nakamura completely forgot about.

He really did fit in a domestic setting... cleaning things up and going out of his way to help out all on instinct.

"H-Here," he said, taking the tray from his hands, his warm fingertips brushing his own for the merest of magical seconds.

Hirose stood back as Nakamura washed the dishes, and he'd never been more thankful to have a chore to do. It was almost like they were a married couple!

But he was jerked from the fantasy at the sound of the front door opening, bringing with it the unmuffled noise of heavy rain. He hurriedly dried off his hands and slipped slightly on his way out of the kitchen - something Hirose definitely saw this time. He stood in the hallway watching his mother slip off her shoes, her arms laden with takeout bags and her hair rather wet.

 "Oh, Okuto, I thought you would be upstairs. Is there something you- hm?"

"M-Mom, um, I had a friend come by earlier, b-but the rain's gotten really bad. Would it be okay for him to s-stay the night?"

"A friend?" she wondered aloud, flicking her eyes to Hirose.

"Hi, Nakamura-san," he bowed, "I'm Hirose; I’m in the same class as Nakamura. I'm sorry to intrude, but I'd be grateful if you let me stay until morning."

She smiled at the sight of him, and Nakamura's heart soared. He got to show off how lovely Hirose was to his mom - surely she could see what a good son-in-law he would make if it ever came to that!

"Oh, we would be happy to have you, just as long as you let your parents know" she said, walking into the kitchen to lay down her bags. "It's a good thing I always buy extra food."

Dinner with Hirose with his family in his house! Could this day get any better?

"You know, Okuto's never had a friend over. It's good to know he has at least one."

Oh.

On second thought, maybe he should've known it was going too well.

He caught a glance at Hirose's shocked expression, but hid his face, opting instead to help his mom set the table.

Of course she had to say that, why wouldn't she? Nakamura could remember overhearing conversations from classmates about their parents embarrassing them, but he had never quite understood it. He loved both his parents very much, and there were very few things he ever got upset with them over. It took until right then for Nakamura to realize that maybe he'd just never had the opportunity to be embarrassed because he never had friends to be embarrassed in front of.

He really was a loser after all...

"Thank you for the food!" Hirose called at the table about thirty minutes later - once Kana had come down and once their father walked in from work, looking wet and equally as surprised at Hirose's presence as his mother.

It was a quiet dinner, though most meals with his family were. And despite Nakamura's lasting sulk, he felt a little brighter every time one of his parents spoke directly to Hirose. He couldn't help his inner excitement from growing.

'See?! Isn't he such a well-mannered, sweet, perfect boy?! Wouldn't he make for the best suitor I could ever bring home to you?!'

"Well," his father said, finishing his last few bites, "I'll be in my study for a while before turning in. You boys have fun - it was good to meet you, Hirose-kun. I'm happy Okuto managed to find a friend."

His heart panged, but he vented his feelings by playing with the remnants of his dinner rather than looking up.

Kana skipped back upstairs a few minutes later, eyes already glued to her phone.

"Do you need any help cleaning up Nakamura-san?" Hirose asked, standing while the other boy's mom gathered up plates.

She smiled graciously. "Oh, you really are the sweetest - you're more considerate than my own kids - but there's no need."

Nakamura shrank down in his chair, more disgruntled than ever. Oh, no, would they end up liking their son-in-law more than their real child?!

"Man, your family all look just like you! It's so sweet!" Hirose laughed. "So, what should we do now? It's still sorta early, huh?"

Nakamura peeked up at Hirose through his bangs. A part of him was relieved to be out of his family's presence, especially since it meant more alone time with Hirose. A glorious silver lining to his shame... he had to fight hard to see it given how his parents' words were still bouncing around his head.

"Oh, uh, d-dunno... I'm usually studying or reading at night, to be honest."

"Hmm... how about a movie?"

Nakamura sat up straight in his chair, delighted by the idea. Oh, he really was brilliant. "Y-Yeah! We can use the living room!"

So, they moved from the kitchen, Nakamura crouching in front of the TV set to look through the DVDs they had. He really wished he knew more about Hirose's taste...

He sighed. He wasn't doing very well with any of this, was he? He couldn't pick out the perfect movie, Icchan had nearly sabotaged him, and his sister and mom & dad had most definitely done so. Hirose must've thought he was so weird... wait, maybe that's why he'd mentioned going back home right after his sister came into the room...

Hirose really did think he was lame, didn't he? And now he was being forced to spend more time with the friendless weirdo loser in his class all because of the storm... he'd even been forced to eat with his family! That must've made him so uncomfortable and Nakamura hadn't even noticed!

'I changed my mind! I'm leaving! I'd rather get struck by lightning trudging outside than spend any more time with you!'

"Oh, is that the one you wanna watch?"

Nakamura refocused his eyes to find that he'd idly picked up a random case from the shelf. It was one of his dad's old horror movies he'd never actually seen before. He remembered his parents shunting him off when he was young, telling him it was too scary for him to be in the room during.

Hirose leaned over Nakamura's crouching form, the latter recognizing the slightest of suppressed noises coming from the former's throat. "O-Oh, no, don't worry, I'll just pick something else."

"H-Huh? But why?"

"Hm?" Nakamura turned to look up into Hirose's curious expression. "Well, I thought you didn't like this kind of stuff."

Hirose blinked, then seemed to bristle was sudden resolution. "What? H-Hey! I never said that!"

The ugly, insecure feelings swirling around Nakamura's insides were suddenly quelled. Now, he had to resist from letting himself smirk. Gosh, he sure got defensive over this, didn't he? Nakamura recognized it back when they'd been walking through the school halls at night a couple days ago, but he didn't realize just how sensitive he was about being a scaredy-cat.

"So... you're sure you don't wanna watch something else?"

"Y-Yeah," Hirose replied shiftily, sounding not at all sure of himself, "I mean, it's the stuff you like, and obviously I can handle it, s-so..."

Oh. So maybe he didn't think he was so lame after all.

Nakamura mocked a look of nonchalance. He wondered if it was cruel of him to go through with watching this when he was almost a hundred percent sure it would scare Hirose to death. But on the other hand... he had insisted. And how was he meant to pass up an opportunity to comfort Hirose while they watched a horror movie together on a dark and stormy night? He simply didn't have the strength to say no.

And that's how he found himself sitting next to his crush on the couch, with the lights dark and the heavy rain adding ambiance to the opening credits of the film.

Hirose's sparkly eyes shone brightly in the dark, so Nakamura could tell they were wide open. He could also tell that the other boy's posture was stiff as anything. So cute... the movie hadn't even started yet.

He glanced to the side, feeling like he should try something to put him more at ease. That's what the atmosphere was set for, right?

Maybe if he put his arm around... oh, boy, he didn't know if he could handle that, not so soon... ideally, Hirose would squeal halfway into the film and cling onto Nakamura, which would give him the perfect chance to cradle him in his arms - stroke his soft hair, shush his fears away...

He shook his head. Maybe if he could think of something a little less forward, he'd actually be able to manage it.

"D-Do you want a blanket?" he asked, holding up the one balled up beside him. He tried not to smile at the way Hirose jumped just from the sound of his voice.

"Thanks." And to Nakamura's complete shock and delight, Hirose took the blanket and unfurled it so it could lay over both their laps. He retreated against the back cushions, pulling his knees up and wrapping his arms around his legs, eyes glued in suspenseful watch of the screen.

Nakamura had to remind himself that Hirose wasn't the one he was meant to be watching. But even as he turned back to the TV, he knew full well the fast beating of his heart and the butterflies in his stomach had little to do with the scares.

At the very least, Hirose seemed so absorbed that Nakamura could sneak plenty of glances at him. To be quite honest, the movie was rather predictable and only moderately scary, but it was clear that opinion wasn't shared by the other boy. Nakamura found himself jumping more often from Hirose's gasps and flinches than from what actually made him react in the first place.

He felt inclined to tease him and was only a second away from turning to ask Hirose if he really wanted to finish the movie when it happened.

His heart did a backflip. Hirose had pushed himself against Nakamura's arm, seemingly on instinct. Nakamura gasped, able to feel their thighs brush together.

Oh, good gracious lords from the heavens above, oh, dear glittering waters of the seven seas-

Dumbstruck, he sat there with his eyes blown wide and every cell of his form in sudden stasis.

He found his body reacting, and he turned his head slowly to watch in awe and horror as his arm extended up behind Hirose's back, sweaty palm coming closer to finding his shoulder. Just a couple inches away, an inch... barely a hair...

"Wah!"

Hirose tensed and swatted his hand hard at Nakamura's fingers, whipping his head about in alarm. A jumpscare had played the moment his hand made contact.

"H-Hey! You can't just try to scare me like that!"

On second thought, this movie wasn't mediocre. It was stupid and dumb and the worst Nakamura had ever seen.

He kept his hands resolutely to himself for the rest of the movie, though he appreciated Hirose's continued pressure against his arm. Small steps...

The sigh of relief Hirose let out at the end of the film made Nakamura's smile widen irresistibly. He physically turned away to avoid his classmate seeing it when the next roar of thunder made him jump and let out a squeak he converted into a cough.

"S-So, um... that wasn't so bad, right? I mean, I've seen worse."

Nakamura straightened his face. Hirose seemed to be analyzing him now for his reactions. "Yeah. I thought it was kind of boring actually," he shrugged.

"Oh, totally. Totally..." he picked at the blanket, his voice trailing off into nothing. Nakamura wondered if Hirose even knew that he was pouting. How could someone be so effortlessly adorable?

He cleared his throat. "U-Um, I guess it's probably time to go to bed now, right? I mean, that movie was so boring it basically already put me to sleep."

A soft laugh left Nakamura before he could stop it. "Y-Yeah, it is pretty late now, huh?"

He didn't want to be the first one to leave their shared blanket-space and was simultaneously glad and disappointed when Hirose stood up. Oh, he was definitely jumpy. Nakamura took enough pity on him to be the one to lead them out of the dark living room and back up the stairs.

Icchan was thankfully still in his tank, revealed to Nakamura when he turned the lights on in the room. He felt a sudden anxious twist in his stomach. He'd never hosted anyone for a sleepover. Was it rude to make Hirose sleep on the floor? He'd rather give Hirose his bed any day, even if it meant sleeping on hot coals, but it would it be too forward to offer something like that...?

"Man, I wish I knew I was staying the night. I would've brought some comfortable clothes. This'll be hard to sleep in."

Nakamura's eyes tracked the movement of Hirose's hand, watching him tug in a resigned sort of way at his summer uniform.

He sighed. "Well, I guess I can just wear my undershirt..."

Practically leaping from his skin, Nakamura had to resist from making a noise. Hirose was nonchalantly slipping off his button-up, and Nakamura turned hastily away as if he was fully undressing.

"U-Um! I-If it would be more comfortable for you, y-you could, ah, b-borrow something of mine!"

Hirose blinked, uniform only half shrugged off. "Huh, really? That'd be super cool of you!"

He knew the smile he wore on his face must've looked maniacal, but his shaky legs carried him to his closet all the same. He reeled from the one-eighty his brain just experienced, from internal fury at having the boldness to offer his own clothes, to pure joy at Hirose actually accepting the offer.

"H-Here, try these..."

"Thanks so much! I'll go change." And he walked off to the bathroom, leaving Nakamura to melt into his floor. Oh dear... would he even be able to handle the sight of his beloved Hirose wearing his clothes? That was something he normally went into cardiac arrest over just imagining. He tried distracting himself by changing his own clothes and setting up a sleeping space on the ground beside his bed, but it was hard for his mind not to wander.

'Ahh, Nakamura, you're so generous and caring! And they're really big on me, huh? I've never been so cuddly...'

Unfortunate that even the image in his head dulled in comparison to what he saw in his doorway when he opened his eyes. He might've just manifested the thunder that boomed right outside the house.

"Hey, thanks again for letting me stay the night, and for the clothes and stuff."

"I-It's no problem..."

Hirose looked rather uncomfortably distracted for a moment, raising his hand to the light switch. "Um... should I get these?"

Nakamura nodded, slightly curious about Hirose's demeanor but being unsure if he should ask. They were bathed in darkness, only the softest of illuminations breaking through the rain-streaked window, excepting the occasional flashes of lightning.

Nakamura crossed the room as Hirose crouched over his makeshift bedding. He was still marveling at the intimate, solitary space of his room being invaded by the one person he'd imagined in it more than anyone. This was really happening, wasn't it?

"Oh, I-I didn't know you slept with your door shut!" came Hirose's voice in response to the click of the bedroom door.

"Hm?"

"No, n-nothing, nothing! I-I just usually have mine open is all..."

Nakamura walked back across the room, getting into bed and trying to make himself comfortable. He thought that his heartbeat had picked up just because of the darkness somehow. Hirose was right there, just a couple feet away...

They were sleeping together!

…Only technically. But whatever.

"G-Goodnight, Hirose..."

"Yeah, night..."

They went silent, and Nakamura almost felt the need to keep his movements as muffled and unnoticeable as possible, even to breathe slow and deep and imperceptibly. Somehow, he felt like he'd ruin the moment, even if he was sure the raging storm would overshadow his noises anyway. And even if there might not really be a moment to ruin at all.

Honestly, he wasn't even sure if he'd get any sleep tonight. He always fantasized while he drifted off, which usually kept him up an extra hour or two, but with the object of his affection quite literally right there... he just couldn't stop his mind from racing.

He was listening hard but could only occasionally hear the body shifting near him. He wondered if he'd already fallen asleep. Probably, given that Hirose didn't have anything to keep him up. It's not like he was laying there obsessing over sleeping near Nakamura.

And as he laid awake for seconds turned to minutes turned to who knew how long, he couldn't help feeling uncertain. It was hard not to be this late at night.

The day had gone about as well as Nakamura ever could've hoped. It was a dream come true just to have Hirose over at his house at all, much less to have him spend the night. They'd been together all day, and Nakamura had adored hanging out with him. But it was basically over now, wasn't it? Hirose would probably leave first thing in the morning, and they'd be back to being school friends. What had he been expecting?

He wondered if Hirose would ever come over again. And if he did, would they ever spend the night together like this? It wasn't like this had been intentional; it was entirely by circumstance, and it was very possible that Hirose would rather be doing anything else in the world right now. He had no doubt he'd prefer to be sleeping in his own bed at home. And if he had the choice, would he willingly spend this much time with Nakamura?

He wished he could fall asleep to stave off the sinking discomfort in his stomach. How was it that he felt this sick when Hirose was sleeping so near to him? Was he really just that greedy for affection? For affection that he'd never been promised in the first place?

"Nakamura?"

He stiffened, blinking up at the ceiling.

"Hey... are you still awake?"

Nakamura swallowed and turned his head at the whisper. His eyes had adjusted enough for him to see Hirose's vague features from the ground. His throat tightened at the sight of the boy turned to him, his star-speckled eyes still seeming to glitter even in darkness like this.

"Yeah."

Hirose sighed. The pillow he'd been lent rustled, his head turning up to the ceiling.

"I'm... having a hard time sleeping."

Oh, was he now?

 Nakamura couldn't make it out well enough to be sure, but he could picture a troubled look on his friend's face when next he spoke. "Could I tell you something? If you promise not to laugh?"

Nakamura blinked, then gave a soft, "Y-Yeah, anything."

"I... I'm not so good with horror stuff. To be honest with you, that movie kinda scared the crap outta me."

Nakamura's heart sank even lower than before. Oh. He'd really messed up, hadn't he?

"I, uh... I kinda figured..."

Hirose offered a breathy laugh. "I guess I'm not so good at hiding it, huh?"

"I-It's my fault; I should've just picked something else. I shouldn't have forced you to do something you didn't want to." That was the one thing Hirose hated more than anything. Was he really any better than Takeuchi?

"But it's not though! I was the one who insisted. I got myself spooked." His hands fiddled with his borrowed blankets. He seemed to be steeling himself. "This'll sound really stupid, I know, but... I think I kinda just wanted you to think I was cool."

Completely thrown, Nakamura stared. "Wh-What?"

"C'mon..." Hirose said in a voice even softer than the one he'd already been using, "I mean, you're a lot cooler than I am; I was sorta intimidated by you when we met, actually. I've been kinda worried you might start thinking I'm lame since we became friends."

Nakamura's breath left his lungs. Hearing such sickeningly kind things from Hirose like this... He felt like he was back at the aquarium all over again.

"I've had so much fun today; you've been really great to me, but I feel like I haven't done much for you back. I mean, bringing me snacks, letting me stay the night, your parents giving me dinner, giving me your clothes... I feel all selfish."

Nakamura's throat worked to get a response out. He was surprised he even managed it. "Y-You're not. I never... I've never thought that about you. I'm-" he swallowed, "I'm really happy that you're my friend. I l-like doing all that stuff for you."

He couldn't be entirely sure, but he swore Hirose's staring eyes softened. His visitor didn't respond at first, and for a moment, Nakamura thought he'd ruined everything.

Then, "What your mom said earlier... It made me remember what you mentioned back at the aquarium, about kids saying you were weird when you were little. I keep thinking it over, but I just don't get it; it makes me kinda annoyed, actually."

The conviction in his tone made it easy to picture that slightly pouty, determined expression Hirose got sometimes when he was trying to prove a point. "It's not fair you didn't have friends when you were younger. Anyone would've been lucky to be friends with you. I know I am."

"I don't-!" Nakamura attempted to steady his breathing. "I-I'm really not that cool... not at all. I don't know how to talk to people, not like you can. I-I am weird."

Hirose managed a little laugh, "Okay, well if you wanna call yourself that, then go ahead. But I don't really care what you say; I think you're great."

"Th-Thank you..." To be here in his bedroom having Hirose sing his praises in the cozy darkness... none of his fantasies ever came close to this. He had to clutch a hand over his heart just to feel grounded. It was a good thing Hirose couldn't see.

"...You're not really like my other friends. I think most of the time I'm just doing or talking about whatever they want. And I don't mind that... sometimes. But it's just so easy to talk to you. I mean, I'm really running my mouth right now, aren't I? I'm probably keeping you up talking about nonsense, so it'd be better if I-"

"Please don't stop."

Hirose blinked. The rain battered the window in the silence. "Ah... well I'm happy you like hearing me yap." He rustled in his bedding. "It's probably cuz I'm still freaked about that movie... sorta scared of being alone now."

Nakamura hummed. Despite what Hirose said, he couldn't help feeling guilty for making them watch that anyway. He should make up for it somehow. "Um... would you maybe be more comfortable if you took my bed?"

A beat of silence.

"...You think it's big enough for both of us?"

The spit Nakamura choked on made it impossible to respond at once. That was not what he'd meant at all.

...But, Hirose didn't sound opposed to the idea, did he?

"I-I-It's pretty small! B-But if you feel l-lonely then... then I-I really wouldn't mind..."

'Wouldn't mind,' yeah, right.

He was already accepting the fact that Hirose would refuse the offer, but then his stomach turned, his eyes tracking Hirose as he stood up, silhouetted in the darkness.

“Man, you really are kind... excuse me."

Nakamura immediately pressed himself stiff against the wall, making as much room for Hirose as possible. And then he was climbing into bed, pulling the shared blanket over himself and straightening out his pillow. Hirose was in Nakamura's bed. Hirose was in Nakamura’s bed! And even though Nakamura was pushing himself back so hard he strained a little, they were still barely a foot apart. Every subtle movement shifted the sheets against him, and it felt like Nakamura himself was touching the other boy, feeling out his every movement.

He could practically sense him in his arms.

"Sorry about this," Hirose murmured, and Nakamura shivered at the proximity and intimacy of the whispered voice. If only he would start praising him again. "I hope it's not, uh... too awkward for you. I'm a little embarrassed, but..."

No,, never, ever, not at all, nothing would be too close, nothing would ever be close enough.

Nakamura simply shook his head. In the proximity they could see each other a little more clearly. And... was it just Nakamura's hyperactive mind that was making Hirose's face blush that way? Of course, it would be too dark to see a thing like that... wouldn't it? He wished he could reach out and rest his hand on Hirose's cheek to figure out if he was right.

"Thanks... honestly I do feel better like this. I'm such a scaredy-cat."

His soft, up-close laugh sounded fuller and lovelier than a harmonizing orchestra.

He really was so happy to have fallen in love with Hirose.

He knew he couldn't say it, so he managed the next best thing. "I like it too. I-I'm really happy you're here... thank you for being my first friend."

Hirose's smile might as well have lit up the darkness. "I couldn't be more honored."

Relaxing, letting himself slide an inch away from the wall, Nakamura smiled wide, ridiculously, stupidly. He curled up and let his eyes drift down, burying half his face in pulled up blankets. Hirose was facing him, arms pulled up comfortably in front of his chest.

"'Night, Nakamura."

"Goodnight, Hirose..."

He waited for Hirose's eyes to shut, then just stared. Nakamura didn't think he'd be getting any sleep.

But it's not like he needed to escape into a dream tonight anyway.

...

It was warm... so warm.

Nakamura let out a long unconscious sigh, keeping his eyes shut. His bed was far too comfy to consider moving. He reflected with a dazed smile that it was a Saturday, meaning he had no reason at all to get up.

He turned his head to the side and found himself breathing in an unfamiliar smell. But no... there was something about it he recognized, wasn't there? Yes, he did know that scent, but from where...?

He tensed an arm and was surprised to find it especially wrapped up in pressing warmth. What was...?

He reluctantly opened his eyes. He nearly jumped out of his skin.

Oh, Hirose had spent the night sleeping in his bed! How could he have ever forgotten a thing like that?!

The joy that flared suddenly in his chest, completely filled his throat up when he realized just what those odd sensations actually meant.

There was light brown hair half covering his vision. He could feel strands of it brushing against his cheek. Oh… oh, they were close close!

His eyes traveled down further, a squeak of shock manifesting before he could hold it back. Hirose's head was a few inches away from being tucked under Nakamura's chin. He was turned on his side, curled up and mostly hidden under the blankets. But Nakamura realized the tight warmth on his arm was Hirose's grasp.

He had his hands wrapped around it, holding it close to his chest.

Eyes wide and unblinking, Nakamura laid as still as possible, but he couldn't stop the unfathomable excitement and joy swirling inside his mind from physically making him shake.

The universe couldn't have offered him a better blessing than this. He'd reached nirvana, truly. This was the day his entire life had been leading up to, and he'd finally reached his destiny. Now he knew that his arm was always meant to be Hirose's teddy bear.

Slowly, taking a deep breath so as not to outright scream in happiness, he turned his head. He could remember Hirose falling asleep beside him in the gym storage room, the way he'd looked with his features mellow and unconscious, the way he breathed ever so slowly, and the way he smelled... that smell he'd been trying to chase the ghost of ever since that night. Now he could fully luxuriate in it.

It was powdery, slightly sweet, lingering in a way that coated the roof of his mouth. He wished he could bottle it. If anything, he wished that Hirose would remain sleeping peacefully like this for hours and hours so he could lay here with him for as long as physically possible.

But maybe fate could tell that he was getting carried away. Hirose breathed heavily and stirred, his arms tensing around Nakamura's, then sliding so goosebumps covered the surface. He moaned softly in sleep, and Nakamura had to try hard not to think about the sound. What a feat that was.

He immediately missed the closeness of Hirose's body when he turned, uncurling and stretching in a half-conscious state. He watched him sit up, slumped forward and still with his eyes closed.

"Mm... Morning."

Oh... what he wouldn't do to hear that heavy, slurred greeting every day.

Nakamura sat up too. He didn't know if he'd ever been this wide awake during the day before. Hirose rubbed the back of a hand over his eyes.

"G-Good morning." Even his voice shook a little with excitement. Hopefully Hirose was too sleepy to notice.

When Hirose pulled his arm away from his face, he opened his eyes, catching sight of Nakamura staring up at his hair. He let out a hum, blinking slowly. "Yeah, looks dumb, right? It's curly so it gets all puffy and big whenever I wake up..."

"It's cute."

His stomach dropped about a mile. 'What is wrong with you, you moron?! Blurting out something so, so-!'

Hirose's look of surprise turned into a smile and a soft laugh. "You really are too nice."

Nakamura didn't know what he was doing. But if everything else had gone as well as it did, then what was harm? Given all they'd talked about the night previous, he found it much harder to imagine Hirose being weirded out by him now. He had called him cool, hadn't he? Anyway, Hirose was definitely a slow riser; maybe he wouldn't even remember anything.

Even still, maybe this was a bit much...

Hirose blinked, staring back at Nakamura. But the moment of tension fizzled out into something comfortable when Hirose fluttered his eyes shut and leaned into the hand that Nakamura had extended to clumsily fix his hair. He didn't dare believe his own luck.

Feathery soft, even with tangles and mismatched curls... if only he'd lay that soft head in his lap and go right back to sleep. Nakamura would sit still long enough to turn to dust if it meant Hirose's comfort.

"Th-That's a little better..."

The frizz of his hair was relatively settled, though there was only so much Nakamura's fingers could do; plus, there were only so many seconds he could bear laying a hand on Hirose before he exploded, so he figured he should be proud of what he'd managed. He wasn't quite sure if his daze was more sleepy or lovestruck, but whichever it was, he was grateful for it.

And for Hirose's own relaxed state... though, by the look in his eye, Nakamura wondered with a tightening of his stomach if he was coming all the way to now.

He offered a few more slow blinks, taking a moment to stare at Nakamura. Then, seemingly realizing something, he blinked more rapidly and straightened up, the light in his eyes growing brighter. He was frowning slightly, his stare lengthening.

"U-Um, Hirose?"

Nakamura got the sense he was pulling himself out of his own thoughts when he next shook his head, though this time, he looked away and laughed again. Was his face redder than before?

"A-Ah, um, well, thanks! It looks like the storm must've ended a while ago, h-huh?"

Nakamura neglected to recognize the sunlight peeking in through his curtains at first, feeling saddened by Hirose's sudden jump out of bed. Oh, he had gone too far, hadn't he? He should've known that was weird, what was he thinking?

"I-I guess I should get ready to leave. My mom'll probably want me home by now, and I'm sure you have stuff to do today."

He didn't quite understand Hirose's sudden distance, but he was too busy riding out the high of their morning wake-up to really think anything rational.

'Oh, nothing could ever be more important than spending time with you.'

'Oh, really? Well, I guess if you think that, then you wouldn't mind if I stayed, would you? I don't know if I'll ever be able to sleep again without you next to me, Nakamura...'

"I'll go change. Say, would you want me to wash these for you? I could bring them back to you Monday at school if you'd like."

"Yeah... wait, what? No!" Nakamura yelped. "I mean, no, that's fine... I-I can wash them myself."

Actually, he doubted he'd wash those pajamas ever again.

The moment Hirose left his room, Nakamura flopped back and stared up at nothing. A laugh bubbled up his throat, slowly breaking into something uncontrolled and wild he had to turn around and press a pillow to his face to muffle, his feet kicking in mirth.

It tapered away, but his smile remained where it was, mushed against his pillow. If Hirose wasn't right next door he'd be screaming and shouting and prancing around the house about now.

"Geez, you really are tired in the mornings, huh? You just gonna go back to sleep the second I leave?" Hirose teased upon his reentry.

Nakamura turned his head against his pillows and drank in the sight of Hirose for the millionth time that day. "Th-That doesn't sound like such a bad weekend plan."

Hirose laughed. "Well, if you happen to be awake for it, I'll shoot you a LINE to let you know when I'm home. Er, wait," he walked back inside the room. "I don't have your ID, do I?"

And as if these past 24 hours couldn't get any better, here Nakamura stood, holding out his phone shakily for Hirose to scan.

"Thanks!" Hirose smiled, and Nakamura swore his cheeks looked redder than usual this time. He wondered if he might still be uncomfortable about the hair thing. He really hoped that wasn't why he was leaving...

"I guess your parents aren't up yet?" he asked, slipping on his shoes down at the door. Nakamura had the wild urge to grab at his arm and tug him into his arms, to keep him here for hours and days longer. "Tell them thanks again for everything! Oh," he giggled, "and tell Icchan that I'll see him later!"

Later... ah...

"Y-Yeah, of course."

"And, uh..." Hirose looked up, standing silhouetted in the door. "Thanks a bunch for having me over and being so cool with me all day, I..." he glanced down, fiddling with the doorknob, "I had a really great time."

Nakamura took a step forward, though he knew he shouldn't pass the entry threshold. "M-Me too. Thank you for coming over!"

Hirose's smile was even brighter than the glow around his body. "Yeah! I definitely owe you a sleepover after this! I'll talk to you at school, okay? See you, Nakamura!"

"B-Bye, Hirose..."

The door clicked shut. Nakamura griped his heart through his shirt and stood there in silence for minutes on end. He had no idea how he ended up on the ground moments later, but that didn’t bother him at all. He giggled weakly, eyes unfocused on the ceiling.

Oh, what a joy it was to be shy, gay, and in love with Aiki Hirose…