Chapter Text
A day passes, which quickly turns into a week, which quickly turns into two, with no contact from Koko. Inui sighs and continues flicking through his book, but the words on the page don't seem to make sense. Koko had reappeared and disappeared just as fast, and Inui didn't know what to think. What was Koko going to say in the cafe, before Inui decided to leave? He was almost scared of knowing.
The day passed, uneventfully. As Inui sighs defeat for another day, preparing to go to bed, his phone pings. He runs faster than he would have liked to admit to grab it and check the notification.
Meet me at the park, outside my apartment. - Koko
Inui glances at the time. 10:15pm. He groans and grabs a coat and his keys and walks out into the chilly winter night.
Rubbing his hands together, he walks through the night, breath fogging the air. Not long after, he reaches the park where Koko is supposed to be waiting. Inui looks around, but there's no sign of Koko. Rolling his eyes, he shouts, "Koko! Where are you!"
A hand reaches up from behind and covers his mouth. "Shut up, idiot, people will hear you!"
Inui laughs against the hand covering his mouth. "Like I'd care. I'd just beat the shit out of them!"
Koko spins him around to face him. They're standing under a streetlight, and the light illuminates Koko's face in a way that takes Inui's breath away.
He looks fucking stunning.
"Hey, Inupi."
-
Inupi looks happy and shocked and angry all at once. Never knew that dead looking face of his could hold so many emotions at once. Koko thought, and then immediately felt guilty.
"Why did you bring me here?"
The accusation in his voice almost makes Koko feel bad. "Why did you leave me in the cafe so abruptly?"
Inupi glares at him. "Why did you ghost me for two fucking weeks?"
"Ah, mad about that, are we? It's not like you couldn't have fucking texted me yourself or something." For some reason, it made Koko feel better, riling Inupi up.
"Yeah, well, I thought you would at least be nice enough to message me first, seeing as you're the one who wanted to reconnect in the first place."
"Tch, and you go and leave me behind at the cafe. Avoiding that question, are we?" Koko smirks, knowning it'll get Inupi madder.
It works.
Inupi lunges at Koko, swinging his fist. It connects with Koko's jaw with a dull thud, and Koko stares into Inupi's eyes. He tastes the metallic tang of blood in his mouth, but doesn't retaliate. He simply stands there and holds Inupi's gaze.
Inupi sighs. "Why did you bring me here, Koko? It's late. I don't have time for your bullshit anymore."
"Tell me why you left me at the cafe and I'll answer your question."
Inupi narrows his eyes as he and Koko glare at each other. "I left because I was fucking scared of what you were going to say, okay? I didn't want to hear the rest of it. Yes, I'm a fucking coward but what are you going to d-"
Koko wraps his arms around Inupi, burying his face into the dip where his shoulders met his neck.
-
Inui staggers back, stunned by the sudden contact, his arms flailing. "Koko, what the fuck?"
No reply.
Inui's back hits a tree, and that's when he realises. Koko is pinning him to a tree. His breath catches as Koko lifts his head, his eyes red.
"Koko-"
Inui is cut off, once more, but this time by the force of Koko's lips on his own, closing the distance between them in no time. His mouth is warm and gentle, almost hesitant. Inui's heart beats so fast he knows that Koko, who's chest is pressed to his own, can feel it. He's aware of every single part of their bodies that are touching, and he feels like his skin is on fire.
Wait. Was Koko's heart beating that fast too?
Koko quickly draws back and wipes his mouth.
The two stare at each other. Inui flushes deep red and Koko attempts to calm his breathing. Slowly, Koko's eyes move back down to Inui's lips, and Inui wonders what he's thinking. With a sigh, Koko moves back into the light of the streetlight. Inui notes that his lip is still bleeding.
"I'm sorry." Koko mumbles.
Inui starts. Whatever he had thought Koko would say, it definitely wasn't sorry.
"Sorry for what?"
Koko's eyes dart up, searching his face. Inui offers a slight smile, and Koko gives a halfhearted grin in return.
He's so pretty. Inui thinks to himself.
"I should have asked." Koko rubs his hands together and looks away.
Inui almost laughs. "It's alright." He can't help wondering what would happen after tonight. "Though, I thought you said you weren't into boys."
-
Koko tenses. He stares down at his heels awkwardly. "Well, uh, maybe I wasn't telling the complete truth."
Fuck, you're going to ruin your chance.
Tentatively, Koko looks at Inupi. He's fucking beautiful, standing there with his mouth half open, and a smear of blood below his lip. My blood, Koko thinks.
"Really now?"
The urge to kiss him again is so, so hard to fight. Koko digs his nails into his palm and forces himself to look anywhere but Inupi's mouth. "Really."
"Wow, I'm flattered. Did I finally make you change your mind?"
Koko chokes out a dry laugh. "Something like that."
"Or is it just because I look too much like Akane?"
"FUCK, Inupi, WHY do you keep bringing her UP?" Koko glares at the blond haired male standing across from him. At some point, Inupi had crossed his arms. "I told you. I'm over her. I know she's fucking dead!"
Inupi winced, barely perceptible, but it was there.
Too far, Koko. She's still his dead sister.
"I just.." Inupi begins quietly. "I can't get over the fact that a part of you might be taking advantage of me because I look like her."
Koko feels his cheeks heat. He had laid awake, for so many nights, questioning the same thing as well. But it wasn't the time to tell Inupi that. "Inupi." He takes a step forward and gently cups his face between his hands.
Are my hands too cold?
Inupi avoids his gaze. "Hey, look at me." A pair of light blue eyes meet his own. "I know who you are. And I fucking know who I just kissed. You're not Akane, you're Inupi. I know that you're not Akane and I don't fucking-"
God, how was he supposed to even say this?
-
Inui holds Koko's gaze, no matter how much he wants to look away. There's something in Koko's voice that makes Inui inclined to believe him.
"I don't fucking care if you're not Akane because, Inupi, I-" Koko stops talking again.
What is he trying to say?
Inui has a pretty good idea of what he thinks Koko is about to say, but he doesn't allow himself that hope. It's dangerous, even after Koko's just kissed him, and Inui still tries to shy away from being hurt again.
"Koko, it's getting late."
Koko drops his hands and sighs in defeat. "What time is it now?"
"12:45am."
"God, more time has passed than I thought."
"You're good at wasting time, it seems."
"Shut up." Koko hesitates for a second, then adds, "Do you want to come back to my place?"
Inui stares at Koko blankly. He- what? "Why? My place is just a short walk away."
"Yeah, but it's late. It could be dangerous." They both know that's a lie. Inui is a brilliant fighter and would be able to defend himself if the need arises. "C'mon, my place is just across the street."
"Alright then."
The two walk side by side, an awkward silence spreading between them. Koko's heels tap on the road as they cross, the only sound in the otherwise silent night.
What if I held his hand? Inui thinks to himself.
Without much more thought, Inui reaches out, grabs Koko's hand and fits his fingers in the dips between Koko's knuckles. He hears Koko inhale sharply, and Inui feels a flash of amusement for having surprised Koko.
-
Inupi's hand is warm, so extremely warm, and when they finally reach Koko's apartment and Inupi lets go, Koko's hand feels annoyingly empty. He fumbles for his keys and lets them in. Flicking the light on, Koko throws his jacket onto the sofa. His apartment is quite small, a living room leading into the kitchen and a small hallway, with a bathroom and a single bedroom branching off. "I uh, haven't cleaned in a while." Koko laughs, turning around.
Inupi has a faint smile on his face. "I see that." He coughs awkwardly. "So where am I supposed to be sleeping? Or have you not given thought to that either?"
Koko freezes. He indeed had not thought of where they would be sleeping. Koko's sofa was barely able to fit two people, let alone have someone sleep on it. "Oh shit." He stalks down the hallway to his bedroom, which is also a huge mess. Clothes are laying everywhere and there's a few mugs too. "I guess we could...share the bed?" Koko smirks as Inupi turns red. God, flirting with Inupi was almost as fun as annoying him.
Inupi takes off his coat and hangs it over a chair. "You should really clean this goddamn mess."
"Yeah, I should, but will I? Don't think so." He walks into the bathroom and stares at his reflection in the mirror. His hair is slightly tangled and he has a busted lip, but it'll be gone soon.
"Stop checking yourself out in the mirror, Koko."
Koko smothers a laugh and splashes some water onto his face. He returns to the bedroom, where Inupi is sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at his phone.
"Whatcha looking at?"
Inupi glances up and turns his phone off. "Nothing. Just the messages you sent a few weeks ago."
"Mmm." Koko lies down and drapes the covers over himself, making sure to leave enough for Inupi. He hears the bed creak as Inupi shifts and slides under the covers with him.
-
Inui stares at the ceiling, tired but unable to sleep. Koko snores next to him, and good for him that he's able to fall asleep so easily. The bed is way too small for both of them to sleep comfortably without touching each other, and so far Inui has been able to refrain from any of Koko's limbs touching his. Too much has happened and it's happened all too fast.
The sheets even smell like him.
Koko mumbles something, and Inui catches his own name. So he talks in his sleep, does he? That's cute. Suddenly Koko shifts, and one of his arms wraps around Inui. Slowly, Inui turns so that he's facing Koko. In the darkness, he can barely just make out the features on Koko's face, and he reaches out to touch his hair. Koko sighs, leaning into the touch, and Inui freezes. He gently drapes his arm over Koko's body, feeling the warmth radiate from his body.
After that, Inui is able to sleep.
-
The morning comes all too fast, and sunlight streams through the gaps in the curtains, bathing the pair in warm light.
-
Koko is the first to wake, struggling to get the sleep out of his eyes. He feels a foreign weight over his body, and for a moment he almost panics. Then the memories of the previous night flood his mind and he registers that the weight is in fact, Inupi's arm. He flushes red, glad that Inupi is still sleeping.
He knows he should get up, get ready for his day. He's already overslept, and something tugs at his mind, an important meeting he has today? Koko ignores the thought. He'll be happy as long as he can lie with Inupi for a while longer, hearing his steady breaths and watching him sleep. He wants to remember this moment forever, before it's ripped away from him.
Inupi's eyelashes flutter, his eyes opening slowly. He catches sight of Koko staring at him, and smiles softly. "Hey, Koko."
Koko thinks, so this is what it's like to be loved.