Work Text:
“Maa-kun I can't walk, carry me home~”
Mao sighs as he reads the message, just when he was thinking that he had finished all his student council work in time and could go home without overworking himself, Ritsu as if trying to get in the way of his peaceful rest decides to send him those words.
“Walk by yourself.” He sends back.
In the first place, he doesn't even know where Ritsu is, and even if the older boy keeps insisting that they have a heart-to-heart connection that allows them to know what does the other person think, he doubts he will be able to find Ritsu without any clue, especially when there are so many sleeping spots that he enjoys in the academy.
He considers calling Ritsu on the phone, but the message that has been sent to him isn't read, meaning that there's a high chance he fell asleep.
Great. If he calls all he will get to hear will be Ritsu's snores, because Mao is completely sure that Ritsu will pick up the call and then fall asleep one second later.
It's personal experience. There was a time in which he tried to wake Ritsu by calling him so he could start getting ready for school. It never worked.
He tries to remember everything Ritsu told him during class, during lunch break, to know if he had any plans after classes, but he didn't mention unit or club activities.
Looking the classrooms one by one and checking the whole school ground would take so long that the next day classes would begin.
Maybe he should really leave Ritsu and go home by himself, just because they are childhood friends it doesn't meant they should be together all the time. He should stop spoiling Ritsu so much, if he wanted for Mao to accompany him home he should at least tell him where he is. Mao should leave him sleeping wherever he is.
Sleeping in the dark.
All alone.
Until tomorrow…
“I can't do that…” He mutters to himself, as he starts walking almost without any destination in mind, if he needs to check every class one by one he will have to do it.
His pocket vibrates then, a new message arriving to his phone and he actually feels relief when he sees the sender is Ritsu.
Just a sticker of a cup of tea.
“What's that supposed to mean?” Mao ask in his reply but once again the message sent isn't read. “At least try staying awake!” He sends as well, knowing that it's completely useless, Ritsu won't read it.
A tea cup… Mao tries to think about what can it mean, does he want for Mao to buy him a drink on top of making him carry him home?
Could be, but he doesn't feel that's right.
“Tea club?” He thinks out loud, remembering that once in a while Ritsu does show how face on club activities… though he's sure that all he does there is sleep as well.
Mao has visited him once in a while, either because he had to pick him up to go home or because the Vice President sent him to bring the President to the student council room.
It's a relaxing place, he has to admit, so he isn't surprised that Ritsu likes sleeping there.
The tea club, rather than using a classroom uses the garden terrace, apparently enjoying tea surrounded by nature makes it taste better.
Mao isn't too sure about it, he's more of a coffee person.
He walks there without rushing too much, knowing that Ritsu might actually prefer if he takes a while to get there, because it means he will get to sleep for a little longer.
As he thought, he finds Ritsu sleeping peacefully on one of the benches, a half-eaten cookie on his hand, some crumbs on his face and clothes and Mao sighs as he kneels in front of him.
“You could at least eat properly…” He whispers, bringing his hand to Ritsu's face and taking the crumbs away. “I'm surprised you can sleep even when you are eating…” He adds, even if by now he should be used to Ritsu sleeping in any moment, he still finds himself being amazed at him.
Mao doesn't even realize that after taking the crumbs away, his index and middle finger have stopped on Ritsu's lips.
“Soft…” He whispers.
And that's something that surprises him too.
He then hears a groan coming out from Ritsu's mouth and Mao takes his hand away as fast as he can, his heart beating faster than he thought possible.
Ritsu doesn't seem to be awake yet though, something Mao is thankful about, because he really wouldn't be able to explain why was he touching Ritsu's lips.
He can't even explain it to himself.
Yet, his hand moves again to touch that part of Ritsu's face, his lips, pressing them softly.
“You aren't awake yet…?” Mao asks, part of him being glad that he's asleep, his eyes now glued to Ritsu's soft lips.
He wonders if Ritsu would wake up if he pressed his own lips against Ritsu's.
“Just like the sleeping beauty…” He speaks softly, finally taking his hand away but his eyes still won't look away. “Ritsu… Ritchan? Wake up… if you don't…” Mao feels his heart on his throat, still not believing that he really is thinking about it, that he really is going to say it. “I will kiss you.”
He waits a minute, two, but there's no response, Ritsu doesn't open his eyes and Mao really feels that he can't hold himself back anymore.
“Don't say that I didn't warn you…” He whispers, before closing his eyes and leaning closer until his lips meet Ritsu's.
For some reason, Mao always thought that Ritsu's lips would taste like iron, like blood, that they would be cold, but he's greatly surprised when he discovers that it's completely different from everything he had imagined.
Ritsu's lips are soft, Mao can feel the faint warmth that Ritsu's body has when he sleeps, he can feel Ritsu's breath brushing softly against his skin. He can taste cookies and tea, the taste being so pleasant that it's almost addictive, almost making Mao crave for more.
He tries to be gentle with the kiss, maybe he isn't actually trying to wake him up, part of him feeling scared of Ritsu's reaction, because he knows, he's well aware, even if they are close, kissing isn't something that childhood friends do.
He barely has time to calm himself when he breaks apart, Ritsu's arms wrapping around his body as he doesn't let Mao put distance between them, once again bringing their lips together and without a warning introduces his tongue inside Mao's mouth.
Mao almost feels that he's going to be devoured, the kiss being so unexpected that he almost feels his heart exploding.
He can't say he dislikes it though.
Actually it's the other way, he still tastes the cookies, the tea, but he's sure now that it's not the taste he's addicted to.
It's Ritsu himself.
If it weren't because he need to breathe properly, because he needs to let his heart rest, he wouldn't let Ritsu break the kiss now.
“So Maa-kun is the kind of person who attacks while others are sleeping~?” Ritsu says, teasingly, followed by a yawn as he stretches his body. “How unexpected~”
There's a smile on his face a mischievous one, but Mao can see the faint blush in his cheeks.
“I thought you were going to devour me.” Mao says, knowing that he's exaggerating.
“It was self defense~”
Mao can't say anything back, knowing that he really is the one at fault.
“I want to kiss you again.” Mao says firmly, knowing that if he denies it, Ritsu will continue teasing him, he won't let him get away so easily.
Being so direct seems to be worth it, Ritsu's smile disappears and instead he looks at Mao in awe, it doesn't take long for his cheeks to become even more colourful and this time the one smiling is Mao.
“You aren't cute at all…” Ritsu complains, apparently not knowing how to react and shoving the cookie that he was still holding into Mao's mouth.
Mao decides to eat it, it would be a waste to throw it away, but as he thought, it tasted better when he was tasting it from Ritsu's lips.