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“Sou-chan… How… How long will we have to keep walking? I'm getting tired.”
Sougo stopped in his tracks, turning around so he could look at the man panting behind him. He worried he might had been walking too fast, but it was too late to stop when they were so close to arriving.
“Just a little bit more. We are almost there. Hang in there, Tamaki-kun.”
He began walking again. Tamaki, without a choice, followed him, too tired to speak again.
When he met Sougo, he’d never expect their relationship to become… That. Something he couldn't quite explain. Sougo promised Tamaki he would help him until he found his missing younger sister. So while he was clueless, Tamaki stayed with him, looking for hints in the air, the sky and in the flowers.
Speaking of flowers, that's exactly what they were looking for on that day. Tamaki didn't really understand, but Sougo said he could only use his magic through nature objects. Well, that's what he claimed, at least. For Tamaki, Sougo’s singing voice could only be magic. But… If he tried to find magic-like things in Sougo, he would be able to list more than a few.
Magic voice (mostly tender, though sometimes it sounded scary), magic eyes (Tamaki was sure they could see through him, and he was unable to look away), magic lips (he was attracted to them for a reason still unbeknownst to him), magic skin (warm and soothing)… But there was something else. Something Tamaki couldn't see, but he felt it, as if Sougo’s very existence was magic. Maybe he had put a spell on Tamaki? That would explain why he felt weird when he was close to him.
But it didn't matter how many times Tamaki asked, Sougo always told him he couldn't nor he would use magic to set his body on fire.
Tamaki didn't believe him. Why would he feel so warm—and uncomfortably hot—when they talked and touched?
Sou-chan was a liar.
“Look, Tamaki-kun!”
Distracted by his thoughts, Tamaki didn't know what he was supposed to look. But it soon became obvious.
There was a flower field in front of them, dying the place lilac. That was the first time Tamaki saw so many flowers, even if they were all the same.
“We have arrived,” Sougo said, his excitement notable on his voice and on his face, which had a big smile on it. “Wow…! Aren't lavenders beautiful?”
Most of the time, Sougo would wear wizard clothes, with a hat and everything. On that day, though, he wore a red hooded cape over a white shirt. The cool wind softly caressed his face, making his cape fall from his head. Still smiling, Sougo put it back on.
The night was coming—there was a dazzling sunset behind him, coloring the sky with shades of purple and orange. Standing there, so close to the lavender field and with the sky adding to the background, Sougo looked like a painting.
“Yeah,” Tamaki replied without thinking, with a little blush on his cheeks. “... Beautiful.”
Sougo didn't understand why Tamaki looked so serious so he gave him a confused look. Tamaki avoided his gaze.
“I'm going to look around for a bit,” Tamaki said, already turning to the field. “You just wait here, Sou-chan. I will get the flowers.”
Sougo nodded, offering Tamaki a tender smile.
“Alright. Thank you.”
As Tamaki disappeared in the lavender field, Sougo found a swing and sat down, watching the other man run around and play with the flowers.
Sougo thought he looked happy, like a child seeing the sea for the first time. And it was almost it, except it was the first time he saw a lavender field. From afar, he could notice Tamaki's ears—his wolf ears—were jumpy, moving the same way they did everytime Tamaki was excited. How cute. Sougo wondered if he could touch them one day.
“Tamaki-kun, come here!” Sougo shouted after a couple of minutes only watching Tamaki and playing on the swing.
As expected, Tamaki complied, running towards Sougo with few flowers in his hands.
“Don't move,” Tamaki asked, looking tired again. That time, he only had himself to blame, since he kept running around.
Sougo didn't understand what he wanted, but did as he said.
Tamaki, then, got down in front of Sougo and, without blinking an eye, took one of the flowers in his hand and put it behind his ear.
Sougo didn't think lavenders were the most appropriate flowers to do that, but because Tamaki smiled so proud, he didn't feel like saying anything.
“I knew it,” Tamaki said, slowly recovering the rhythm of his breath. “It really suits you.”
Sougo didn't know why, but he felt nervous all of a sudden. He could feel his cheeks getting hot and his heart throbbing so fast he worried it would jump out of his chest.
He sighed, deciding to ignore all the different emotions he was having. Then, he smiled.
“Thank you, Tamaki-kun,” Sougo said and, without thinking, he moved his hand to stroke Tamaki's hair—and his ears. They felt fluffy. “You did well.”
“Ah!” Tamaki exclaimed. “Are you praising me?”
Sougo laughed. He’d forgotten how cute Tamaki could be.
“I am.”
Tamaki smiled widely. Sou-chan was praising him. He didn't think Tamaki was a bother, instead, he thought he was helpful. He felt good.
“Oh… I'm happy!”
With Sougo still touching Tamaki's ears, they both smiled. Tamaki was a bit shy—he didn't tell Sougo his ears were sensitive. But it was fine. He was enjoying it. Being cared for didn't feel so bad.
“Next time,” Tamaki said suddenly, surprising Sougo. “Let's come here again, with Aya.”
Sougo gasped, realizing the true meaning behind Tamaki's words. He told him before that he would stay with Sougo until he found his sister. But, at that moment, he made plans with both of them.
That made Sougo very happy. To think someone needed him— wanted to stay by his side.
“Yes,” Sougo muttered. “Let's all come here and play together next time.”
Soon, he stopped touching Tamaki and they both got up. Then, they started walking again, side by side, each of them carrying a share of flowers.
It was fine. Aya was still missing, but Tamaki knew it would be fine. Despite every problem he had, it would be fine, because Sougo was by his side. And that was enough, for the time being.