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Mika was finishing off the takoyaki that was supposed to be for Shu as they maneuvered their way outside of the school and towards home. The trees slowly dissolved from the colorful, confetti-filled Tanabata trees to plain ones the further away they got, and Ryuseitai's music eventually dissipated into the humid night air.
Shu glanced at Mika. He wasn't going to eat the takoyaki anyway. He felt slightly terrible… He had Mika on a special diet for the past few weeks in preparation for this event, so it was only natural that he'd feel so hungry for such disgusting food.
"Didya make a wish, Oshi-san?" Mika asked, mouth still half-stuffed with the street food.
"Finish eating before you speak, Kagehira." Shu tried to let his tone not be so harsh, even if he was scolding Mika. "But no, I did not. I was so disappointed by our loss that it had slipped my mind."
"Oh. But it's okay! I did enough wishin' for the both of us!" Mika popped the last bit of takoyaki in his mouth. "I wished that Valkyrie would become the best unit in the world! It kinda is already, but I want everyone to know about it!"
It was a nice sentiment. They had a long way to go before being the world's best unit, but they were getting there. Bit by bit, they were getting there, and neither of them could do it without the other.
And that's why, Shu thought, he needed to take incredibly good care of Mika that night. He knew he had overworked the boy, pushed him past his limits, so it was only right. After all, Shu's limits were much, much farther than Mika's, so he probably should have been taking care in the beginning not to push Mika so far.
They were home before Shu knew it, the walk filled with Mika's blabbering about the festival. He had gone through it with his friend—Naru… something. Narukami?—eating all the street food they could get their hands on.
("It tasted just like home, Oshi-san!")
"Sit." Shu said, putting a little more strictness behind his words as he motioned to the counter. Mika sat at the stool. Shu placed a water bottle in front of him. "Drink this. All of it."
Mika nodded and set to work. Shu's expression softened. What an obedient, diligent boy. Shu really couldn't ask for a better partner.
"I'm done!" He slammed the empty bottle on the counter with a huge grin. "I was super thirsty, so that was real easy!"
"Good. If you'd like another, then drink another. If not, go take a shower." Shu stepped around the counter, fussing with a few ornaments on Mika's costume he just knew the boy would have trouble with. "Wash your face well and take all of your makeup off. Use an exfoliator. If you're not too tired, wash your hair as well. Understood?"
Mika nodded.
"Go."
Mika wiggled off the stool and scampered off. Shu gathered up the ornaments and set them in a drawer in Mika's room. But while he was around, he might as well slip into the bathroom and toss Mika's things into the dryer. The boy was fond of cold showers, for whatever reason, and always seemed to be shivering afterwards. Perhaps a warm towel and warm pajamas would remedy that.
He knocked at the door. "Kagehira? May I come in?"
"Yeah!"
A few seconds of silence passed.
"Wait! Why‽"
Shu gathered up Mika's towel and pajamas. "I'm putting your things in the dryer. Is that alright?"
"Oshi-san's the best!" Mika said, and he continued humming whatever song he was singing. It seemed like one of Knights' songs, but Shu didn't pay enough attention to Knights to know for sure.
Shu only got a glance of his reflection as he put everything in the dryer, but he could already tell that he wasn't looking too great either. His dark circles were starting to poke through his concealer, surely a product of too many all-nighters. He hadn't even been working on their costumes until the last minute. He was just kept up by stress, anxiety, working and reworking choreography until everything was perfect.
Shu ran a hand through his hair. It seemed that Mika wasn't the only one who needed maintenance, after all.
The dryer finished just in time, and seeing Mika walk out of the bathroom with a sleepy smile on his face warmed Shu's heart. Mika's sleeves were pulled over his hands, and his skin looked much better after a good scrub.
"Next, I'm making you a honey milk tea," Shu said. He had already started the tea, so it'd be ready in no time at all. "It'll help your voice. I'm sure that it's gone through a lot lately."
Mika nodded. "I keep practicin' and practicin' so I can be the bestest ever!" When the mug was set in front of him, he wrapped his hands around it and breathed in the scent. "It smells so good, Oshi-san! Are you sure it ain't too fancy for someone like me?"
"I'm sure." And, for some reason, Shu reached over to ruffle Mika's hair. It was a small gesture, but Shu wasn't too great with physical affection, so it felt much larger to him. Mika's hair was so soft and fluffy… "I'm going to shower now, but we'll finish your maintenance with this. After you finish the tea, go straight to bed. You may sleep in as long as you like tomorrow."
Mika needed the rest. Shu couldn't expect him to keep waking up at five in the morning every day, especially not after a performance. Mika wasn’t like Shu, anyway, and Shu wanted to preserve Mika’s innocence as well as he could.
He wondered how long it would last.
Mika was still at the counter when Shu finished his shower.
"Still awake? Or still finishing?" Shu asked. He peeked over Mika's shoulder at the mug. There was hardly anything left.
"I drank most of it, but I was waitin' to finish until you were done." Mika yawned. "I wanted to say goodnight."
The look on Mika's face said otherwise. He looked… rather sad, actually, and Shu didn't know if another head pat could fix it.
"Kagehira—"
"It's my fault we lost, ain't it? Even though I worked real hard, I dunno if I was good enough." Mika sighed, swirling the tea around. "I'm sorry, Oshi-san. I'll do better next time."
"It's not your fault." Shu carefully put a hand on Mika's shoulder. The boy flinched, and Shu wondered if it was too much. "It's… Well, neither of us are to blame. You put on a near perfect performance, so don't go beating yourself up about it."
Mika perked up a little at that. So simple… "Really? Was I good?"
"Of course you were."
And suddenly, Mika was hugging him. Heat flared up in Shu's cheeks as he slowly wrapped his arms around Mika's waist. He… didn't mind the hug. Not one bit, actually. Mika's hug was warm and good, and just when Shu was about to let go, Mika squeezed him tighter. Shu decided it was safe to venture a little further and pet Mika's hair, and the small gesture caused Mika to nuzzle his face into Shu's neck.
Shu's heart rapidly began gaining speed. It was wrong. He shouldn't start feeling this way about Mika. He felt these same feelings about Nazuna, and then…
But Mika was different, wasn't he? Mika was loyal and sweet and didn't have much outside of Valkyrie. Then again, Nazuna was the same way.
"Oshi-san, ya got all stiff," Mika mumbled, still squeezing tight. "Is it okay that I hug ya like this?"
Right. Shu shouldn't compare the two.
"It's fine, Mika." He rubbed Mika's back slowly. He was beginning to feel anxious. He'd really never ever been so close to someone for so long before. He tried to relax. "I'm just not used to hugs."
"It's okay." Mika squeezed extra tight before finally letting go. He yawned again. "I'm so sleepy."
"Then sleep." Now that Mika had let go, Shu was really missing the contact. He really should shake these thoughts off his mind. Maybe the lack of sleep was getting to him. "I'll cook whatever you want tomorrow morning. Rest well."
"Thanks, Oshi-san! I…" Mika trailed off. He avoided Shu's gaze, and Shu wondered exactly what he was going to say. "Goodnight."
Mika stood in front of Shu for a few moments longer before retreating to his room. How odd… Perhaps the lack of sleep was starting to affect Mika as well.
That’s all it is. He isn’t Nazuna. It’s not like that .
“Oshi-san.”
“I thought you were going to sleep.”
“I was, but…” Mika rushed up to Shu, giving him a kiss on the cheek so fast that Shu wasn’t even sure it happened. “Thanks for everythin’.”
“I—”
And Mika was gone again.
So maybe it was like that.