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“I really don’t see how he’s like me, senpai,” comes Kakeru’s voice from a little ways ahead of Yukihiko.
“Well, there are certainly differences,” Ouji says before he launches into yet another speech about how the protagonist of the manga they’re reading right now is a lot like Kakeru.
Yukihiko lets his mind wander as he half-listens to them and the other scraps of conversations he catches from the rest of the group – Musa and Shindou trying to find more ways to raise funds for the team, the twins arguing about a girl at the front.
The walk home from the public bath is always comfortable, the street empty and calm save for the team. It’s late enough in the year that they always go home in the dark now, but Yukihiko likes how relaxing even that can feel. He’s in the very back with Nico, the only two people not joining in on any of the conversations right now. It feels good to zone out after a long day, nothing but familiar voices and the quiet sounds of the neighborhood around him, Nico’s warm presence next to him making him feel like he’s already half home. He enjoys the cool October evening and the tired satisfaction deep in his bones, the mellow feeling still in his body after their scalding bath.
Thinks of how, in just a couple of hours, he’ll get to melt to Nico and fall asleep with him, wrapped up in that warmth.
He glances to his side at that, and notices Nico already looking at him from the corner of his eye.
“Hm? What is it?” he asks.
Nico gives him a slow smile, the way he always does when he’s about to tease him. It’s attractive and terrible at the same time, and Yukihiko hates how much he loves that expression on Nico’s handsome face.
“Nothing,” Nico says, “I was just thinking that the moon is really beautiful tonight, isn’t it?”
It takes Yukihiko a moment, but once he realizes what Nico’s saying, all focused on him and with that teasing smile, he feels his entire face flush in an instant.
“What the– we can’t even see it right now, you ass! And who says that in the 21st century!”
It’s so old fashioned and sentimental and embarrassing, saying I love you like some character out of a novel–
“It’s still true, though,” Nico says easily, his expression more gentle this time. He does this sometimes – springs genuine sweetness and affection wrapped in teasing on Yukihiko so he’s left embarrassed and annoyed, dizzy with the sudden warmth in his chest.
Yukihiko almost can’t bear the tender feeling of it, and he turns his face, looking resolutely ahead again.
Still, when he’s sure no one’s looking at them in the back, he sneaks his hand into Nico’s quietly and squeezes just once.