Work Text:
“Mmm, Jakurai-senpai.”
“I told you, you don’t need to call me that.”
The doctor’s response wasn’t at all surprising to the brunette. A sly smile came over Gentaro’s face as he crossed one leg over the other, having taken a seat on the doctor’s bed in his office. Their relationship had started strange, was currently strange, and was probably going to continue being strange. What could Gentaro say, Jakurai was a very interesting man, and people who were interesting to Gentaro would often catch his attention for a long period of time. After all, a lot of his inspiration for his writings came from people watching. Jakurai was a unique specimen, and while Gentaro knew that the time for Jakurai’s personal growth had passed, he wondered vaguely if the other still had room to grow.
“Gentaro.” Jakurai’s voice was low, as per usual, and it sounded very tired. Gentaro noted that he almost always sounded tired, and just one of the many questions he had was why he wouldn’t try and take care of himself. After all, a doctor’s job banked on him being aware.
“Hmm~?” Gentaro stopped his journalling, looking up at the long haired man. All passing thoughts as well as musings were written here, for later study and application. “What is it, Jaku-senpai?” A cute little nickname for the serious and stoic doctor.
He could see that Jakurai’s face had taken on a slightly red tint, and he ended up also gaining the attention of the doctor’s eyes. Those pale, flat eyes seemed to have a spark of… Something in them. “... Interesting. Why are you here? Don’t authors have something better to do then distract those of us in the medical profession?”
“Hehe.” Gentaro couldn’t help but snicker a bit, resting the book on his lap. “What, you don’t want me here? How cruel.” He clasped a hand over his heart, adopting a frown. “Isn’t this one of your rare and legendary breaks? Don’t doctors have better things to do then ignore those of us in a creative profession?”
Jakurai let out a deep sigh, closing his eyes for a second and rubbing his temples. “I am doing paperwork because it’s both required and useful for record keeping.” He spoke almost like he was talking to a little kid, which… Honestly his tone didn’t change too much, besides maybe sounding just a bit warmer. “Sort of like how you often take seemingly ‘needless’ notes in that book of yours. It’s both required and useful, is it not?”
This is something Gentaro loved about Jakurai, his ability to keep up with Gentaro’s smarts. It made him feel… Good. “Mmm, I mean, you do have a point there.” He jotted another thing down in his book before looking back up. “Have you eaten yet today? You know what they say, an apple a day…”
“Haha.” Jakurai laughed dryly, shaking his head. It was true, he hadn’t eaten yet today, and it was somewhat of a self-made resolution that he would be better at regularly eating. “I suppose the author is right. What do you want?” A passive invitation to come with him. Gentaro wasn’t one to refuse such offers though, instead humming to himself.
“We should have something that isn’t inside the hospital.” He suggested, and Gentaro could have sworn Jakurai’s eyes narrowed. Did the doctor really dislike leaving the hospital that much? Then again, Gentaro was sitting on Jakurai’s work bed, so really that should have been a logical conclusion. “Oh come on, when was the last time you smelt air that wasn’t tainted with disinfectant? Come now.” Gentaro tucked his book away in his robe and slid his pen into the same pocket before standing up and coming over to the doctor. His hands went into the doctor’s long locks, gently combing through and admiring the care and dedication it took to grow it all. “You can put up your hair, take off that lab coat, and put on something warm. It’s starting to get cold outside, we could go get some ramen or something. I don’t like taking no for an answer.”
Was that supposed to be a threat? Jakurai let out another dry laugh, but he gave in, reaching for a hair tie on his desk and reaching back. Gentaro’s hand grabbed one of Jakurai’s, and the author wished he could see the way his face turned red. He knew Jakurai was easily embarrassed with intimate, private touch, so this must have made him turn as red as a cherry. “Ah, your fingers are so long and thin, do your hands ever get cold?”
“What kind of question is that?” Jakurai's eyes narrowed, and he tried desperately to quell the blush that was covering his face. “Everyone’s hands get cold, no? Why would mine be any different?” The doctor’s hand twitched as Gentaro took the tie from around his wrist, and started to gather all of his hair together. Where usually Jakurai would scold someone for taking his hair like this, he seemed to submit to Gentaro’s hands, letting his own come back down to the desk and pick up a pen.
“Hmm, I don’t know.” Gentaro lied, humming a tune to himself as he started to braid the doctor’s long, beautiful hair. “Ah, how long does this hair take to wash? It has to take far too long for a doctor’s tastes, why do you keep it like this?” A question that Gentaro had wondered ever since he had first seen the doctor.
Unfortunately for the author, he received the same answer that everyone else got when they asked that question. “Those reasons are my own. I don’t think it matters if it doesn’t interfere with my work.” That much was true, Gentaro mused, and he had to kneel down as he continued working on the braid he had started. Jakurai kept his head still, and he took a deep breath as he put the last signature needed on the paper in front of him. “How is that coming along?” Jakurai mumbled to Gentaro, who couldn’t help but smile. He was rather satisfied that Jakurai was letting him do this.
“It’s…. Done.” Gentaro tied the end of the braid before standing up, and he placed the braid over his partner’s shoulder. Jakurai put the pen down and ran his fingers down the length of the braid, pale eyes narrowed as he looked for flaws. Only Jakurai was able to make Gentaro’s heart quicken, and something similar to anxiety rise in his chest. The author knew he had done the braid perfect, but had he done it to the perfection that Jakurai liked? “Interesting…”
After what seemed like years of silence, and a heartbeat pounding in Gentaro’s ears. Jakurai gave a nod, and he stood up to take off his lab coat. “You did well.” He praised, and Gentaro let out a breath of relief. He gave a smile to the doctor, stepping back and letting Jakurai hang up his coat. Now, Gentaro could see Jakurai’s black turtleneck completely, and he could admire the silver adornments on the front of it. The doctor turned to Gentaro, and one of the rare, soft smiles came over Jakurai’s face. Gentaro knew he was a kind soul, and he wondered why everyone seemed to think he was a scary man. Really, they didn’t bother to look at things that were below the surface, but Gentaro did… And he was glad he did so.
“Come now. Let us go, or else we will be stuck there in the middle of the lunch rush.” Mmm, Gentaro nodded in agreement with Jakurai, opening the office door for him. Was that another ‘interesting’ he heard from the doctor? Gentaro had it noted down that the word seemed to be a favorite, as well as a commonly used one. The thought of Jakurai finding him as such was… rather amazing, to be honest.
It was only an elevator ride and a few steps before the duo found themselves outside of the hospital, walking (reluctantly) hand in hand with one another down the street. Gentaro glanced up at the doctor, finding himself happy that the other had kept his braid in front of him. It wasn’t too long before they came to the ramen house in question, and entered. As soon as he smelt the aroma of noodles and broth, Gentaro could have sworn that he heard Jakurai’s stomach growl. “Fufufu.” He chuckled under his breath, squeezing the doctor’s hand and smiling over at him. They took their seats, sitting across from each other and deciding on what they wanted. Gentaro couldn’t take his eyes off of Jakurai, finding that the shade of red he was currently wearing suited him quite well.
The doctor look caught his eyes, and his face became even more red then before. “... Why are you staring?”
“Ah, no reason” Gentaro smiled slyly, looking away from him. “Isn’t it nice in here?” A smooth change of subject. Jakurai took a moment to look around the place as well, thinking a bit. He had seen this place before, however the times he was able to stop in was rather rare, since he was often needed by the hospital. Being the leader of the medical team there was a huge responsibility, after all.
“Hey.” Jakurai felt a hand on his own, and his head jerked back to look at Gentaro. “You’re thinking about work again, Jaku-senpai~” Gentaro scolded him in that singsong voice, and Jakurai narrowed his eyes just slightly before sighing. Yes, just slightly, Gentaro was right.
“Mmm, just how I haven’t had time to come here, that’s all.” Jakurai waved his hand, and brought it down to run a finger over the table. “...” He wanted to say something, but he could only feel his face turning red. Gentaro noticed the reluctance, and he tilted his head, that sly smile growing on his face once more.
“What else are you thinking about, Jaku?”
No senpai ending. Jakurai had to look down, feeling his face absolutely burning now. “Nothing.” He lied, shaking his head. When would their food get here? He swore Gentaro was going to kill him, making him blush this much. “Do you come here often?”
“Ah, yes and no.” Gentaro waved his hand, and Jakurai couldn’t tell if this was truth or lie. “I like to take my notes here, since this is a rather good place to take them. People are different when they’re eating, you know?”
“... Interesting.” Jakurai noted, So Gentaro liked this place, hmm? That was good to hear... the fact that he wanted to bring the doctor here meant that he much really like this place… Well, okay, Jakurai was really thinking that maybe Gentaro actually cared what Jakurai would eat on his rare, long lunch break. And that… It made his heart thump a little faster. Was this glee? Joy? Happiness? Something like that. It was the same feeling that Jakurai felt when Gentaro silently insisted on playing with his hair, or when Gentaro snuck into his office at the hospital and welcomed him on his off time.
All things that Jakurai truly was thankful for, but never had the gall to say so. There was something relieving about Gentaro, something that allowed Jakurai to slowly grow more and more comfortable with these emotions of his. It had… Admittedly, it had been quite a while since he had been back in the dating scene… Wait, were they even dating? There had never been anything formal, since it was Gentaro he was ‘with’ right now… Screw it. He would let the formalities stay outside of the relationship, since while Gentaro looked traditional, he was anything but that. Eccentric, odd, and maybe not entirely truthful… Jakurai chose to believe him, he chose to think that maybe the way he treated Jakurai wasn’t an act, wasn’t a lie. Maybe, even, he chose to follow the feelings in his heart and abandon the clinical, colder side of him for the sake of this new, blossoming relationship.
He had been thinking so hard about Gentaro and their current status that the author had taken out that damned book without Jakurai realizing. When Jakurai returned to planet Earth, he realized also that eyes were on him, staring intently as notes were taken. It was enough to take the breath out of Jakurai, those stunning eyes looking back at him. Oh, and the food, but Gentaro’s eyes were arguably more important. The doctor didn’t have it in him to break the contact first, and the other seemed to realize this as he traded his pen for chopsticks. The corner of Gentaro’s mouth turned up, and he winked.
Good god, maybe Jakurai needed to go to the hospital, he could nearly hear his heartbeat drumming in his head. His face flushed bright red, as hot as the soup in front of him, and he averted his gaze to the food before him. Gentaro gave a quiet laugh, closing his book and tucking it and the pen away. “You should eat, you know? It is a lunch date after all, is it not?”
Date? Then that confirmed Jakurai’s suspicions, that he wasn’t just playing, right? He took it as such, nodding slowly before taking a warm bite of noodles. Goodness, these were very good. Maybe it was made more so by Gentaro’s presence, who knew… Good god, Jakurai was like a lovestruck teenager inside. The table fell silent besides the sound of noodles and broth being consumed, and the sounds of the other people around them registered with Jakurai. After they finished their food, Gentaro had reached over and gently ran his fingers over the top of Jakurai’s hands. Pale eyes looked up at the author, who had… A genuine smile on his face.
“You look really beautiful out of your lab coat.” He commented, his voice low as Gentaro met Jakurai’s eyes. Jakurai hadn’t ever been one to accept such compliments very well, so his face turned red as he looked away. “Ngh, you…”
Gentaro shook his head and took out the money they needed to pay before standing up, taking a hold of Jakurai’s hand. “Come now, we should get you back to work before you faint, no?”
Faint? Ah, was that a joke because he was so red? Jakurai nodded in agreement, deciding to just go with it,. He was feeling a bit warm though, so once they got outside, the doctor pulled on the neck of his sweater. Gentaro laced his fingers with Jakurai’s, and both men had nice smiles on their faces as they made their way back to the hospital.
Once the doors came close, Gentaro sighed softly. “Well, I will have to leave you here… Are you going to be at your apartment later? Or are you staying here, rent free?”
Jakurai couldn’t help but laugh a little, shaking his head. His grip only tightened on Gentaro’s hand, though. “I may have to stay here… You can always message me, if you are thinking about it.” He wanted that form of communication to be used, but Gentaro seemed to be happier surprising Jakurai at strange moments.
“Hmm~ Alright then, I’ll keep that in mind, Doctor.” With that, Gentaro got in front of him, letting go of Jakurai’s hand and instead wrapping his arms around the other’s shoulders. He got close, having to get on his tiptoes to touch noses. Their breath smelled of ramen and mints, but Gentaro didn’t care. It was better than the bleach smell of the hospital.
“... I love you.” The author muttered quietly, gently pressing his lips to the other’s. Jakurai’s eyes went wide, and his face as red as a cherry, and fuck the kiss was done in an instant! Jakurai was left dazed and confused as Gentaro giggled, waving goodbye and blowing him a kiss before walking away.
“... I love you too.” Jakurai whispered, a hand smoothing out his braid as a smile grew on his face. He could only hope the wind carried those words to Gentaro.