Chapter Text
"That’s it."
Something landed on Reo.
"What the—" He pushed the soft fabric of whatever his new roommate had just thrown at him away. It was an over-sized black hoodie. It still smelt of the fabric softener they used at the dorms.
Said roommate that had just thrown it at Reo was standing in front of Reo’s bed. "Let’s go."
"Go? What are you even talking about?" Reo sighed and shook his head. "I don’t have time for this." He was about to just lie back in his bed and scroll on his phone when Ryusei grabbed it out of his hands.
"Hey!"
"You don’t have time for your beloved roommate but you can stare at your home screen for hours?"
Reo narrowed his eyes and jumped up from his bed, snatching his phone back. "You’re not my beloved roommate."
"It’s Friday night. You’re a college student. Live a little."
"You’re here too." Which wasn’t something he appreciated. He was used to Ryusei going wherever the fuck at night during weekends. In the few weeks that they’ve now been roommates, he’s never stayed.
Reo liked being alone. Okay, that wasn’t the truth. He wasn’t the loner type of guy who would usually stay at home during the weekends and just stare at his phone or watch a movie. But that was what he was in the mood for right now. Or has been in the past weeks.
"We’re getting drunk and you’re forgetting your ex," Ryusei said.
Reo stared at him. "What— How do you." He looked away, couldn’t stand the intense gaze his roommate was giving him. "He’s not my ex."
Ryusei grabbed a glass bottle out of his hoodie’s front pocket. "If he’s not your ex, you can drink."
Reo glared at him. He had no idea what to think of his roommate. He had actually been thinking about moving out of the dorms and just getting a nice apartment close to the campus. It wasn’t like he couldn’t afford it— his parents didn’t even like the fact that he was going to this college and not the one that they’ve selected for him because it was the one all men from the Mikage family have attended for generations.
But Reo had chosen to stay here because it was more convenient for him with the training places being right next door. He didn’t want to bother walking from his apartment to attend the morning practice at 6 am. It was already exhausting to walk these few meters to get him there when he was still tired.
So he stayed. And got a new roommate that replaced Nagi, his best friend from High School. And Ryusei was nothing like Nagi, where Nagi was quiet, Ryusei was loud. Reo wasn’t used to it, but he doubted anyone was used to Ryusei. He was an enigma.
"Fine." He grabbed the bottle, uncapped it, and took long gulps. He coughed. "Fuck, what is this?"
"Gin. Cheap gin, which I guess our little rich boy isn’t used to." Ryusei’s lips formed a sharp grin. He looked so stupid, Reo thought. He didn’t like that shit-eating smirk on his face because it made him somehow even more attractive and he was sure he was the only one who was weird enough to think it was hotter when he would flash his teeth.
"Watch me." Reo took a few more gulps, ignoring Ryusei’s look and handed him back the bottle. He could feel the intense burn in his throat all the way down to his chest for a few seconds. The taste on his tongue was horrible as well, but he didn’t want to give Ryusei the satisfaction and drink water.
Ryusei sat down on Reo’s bed, a quiet creak erupting underneath is as the tall male just jumped on it. Reo watched as Ryusei took the bottle back and just drank from it. Ryusei must’ve noticed Reo staring because he turned to him and raised his eyebrows.
"Something on my face?"
"No." Reo turned away. "How do you know about…"
"Nagi? That’s his name, right?"
Reo nodded.
"People talk," Ryusei said. "I know I replaced someone else here as your roommate who was on the team too. And I found out that you were real close." He held his two index fingers together while clutching on the bottle. Reo almost worried he’d drop it and spill the content on his bed. "And you’ve been moping around a lot. So I’m just guessing he’s your ex."
"He’s not my ex," Reo said and took the bottle back, taking some more sips. Now that he already had some alcohol in him, he didn’t even mind it anymore. The burn was almost pleasant now, the warm feeling that was spreading in his chest welcome.
"So, what is he?"
"Friends. Best friends, I guess. Known each other since High School," Reo explained. Why was he saying this? He drummed with his fingers against the bottle.
"So you weren’t dating?" Ryusei took the bottle out of Reo’s hands, their fingers brushing against each other.
"No." Reo hesitated. "I don’t know what we were." They were more than just friends, at least that’s what he thought. They’ve shared kisses, but it was never official and maybe both of them had been too scared to actually make it official to say something. It was too late now anyway. Whether or not they would’ve dated, Nagi would’ve probably left him anyway.
Ryusei hummed and continued to drink the gin.
"Let’s not talk about him," Reo decided.
"It’s fine."
Reo laughed.
Ryusei tilted his head. "What?"
"I don’t know. Just didn’t think you were such a good listener, I guess." The alcohol must be already getting to his head.
"You don’t really know me."
Reo blinked. He wasn’t wrong about that either. He barely knew Ryusei even though they’ve been roommates since the semester started. He has heard a lot about him though, rumors seemed to follow him. About how he was the star football player on every team he was on from High School but had a bad temper. About the fights, he’d get into. Rumor was that it was also why he was kicked out of his college and transferred to theirs.
"I guess I don’t."
"You just have to get to know me then," Ryusei said and winked.
Reo rolled his eyes but couldn’t help the grin on his face. Yeah, definitely the alcohol getting to his head and now affecting his face muscles. He grabbed for the bottle but Ryusei held it away from him.
"Nope, enough for the little purple bun."
"What? Wait— what did you just call me?"
"My little purple bun."
Reo huffed. "That’s the worst nickname anyone has ever come up for me."
"And what others are there?" Ryusei must’ve noticed the hesitation on Reo’s face. "See?"
"Rich boy, I guess," Reo said.
"Ah, I’ve called you that too. But I like the new nickname more," Ryusei decided. Reo laughed.
"Want to be different so badly?"
"You could come up with one for me too, you know."
"Ugh, just hand me over the bottle."
"Nope," Ryusei answered, popping the 'p'. He held up the bottle, shaking it a little bit. "Look, we drank half of it already in such a short time. You won’t be able to stand anymore if you drink more and I still have plans."
"Plans?" Reo asked. "What possibly can we do now?"
"Something like going out? You still know that, right?"
Reo sighed. "Of course. It’s just been a while." Shit, he really has turned down his friends all the time whenever they asked him out for drinks. He made a mental note to reach out to Kunigami and Chigiri again. He hoped he’d remember it again in the morning.
"So, we’re going now." Ryusei took the hoodie he had thrown at Reo and handed it to him again. "Wear this."
Reo stared at the hoodie and then at Ryusei again. "What the hell is your plan?"
Ryusei grinned. "You’ll find out."
"Is it something illegal?"
"Maybe. Does it matter? You’re rich, we can be bailed out."
Reo sighed and got up. Getting up for the first time now after he had drunk so much made him realize how tipsy he was. Or drunk. Something in between. He put on the hoodie and turned back to Ryusei. "Happy?"
Ryusei got up again. Even though Reo was tall, taller than almost anyone he knew, Ryusei still got a few centimeters on him. He put on the hoodie and pulled on the strings.
"Hey—"
"You look cute," Ryusei said.
Reo felt heat rushing to his face. Yeah, definitely because of the alcohol. "Okay, where are we going?"
"Wait a sec." Ryusei grabbed a bag and put it in the rest of the bottle. "We’re paying your shitty not ex-boyfriend a visit."
"What?"
"We’re going to throw egg against his window. I know where his room is," Ryusei explained.
Reo held up a hand. "How did you find out?"
"I have my sources. So, you’re in or not?"
Reo chewed on the inside of his lips. Part of him screamed no, the reasonable one. The other part of him was still angry. Angry at Nagi just dropping him like some toy and leaving him to transfer to another college where this guy named Isagi was on the team after playing against him once. After everything that Reo has done for him, everything they’ve been through. All the kisses that had unspoken promises written in them that apparently Reo had been imagining, making him look like a fool between them.
"Okay," Reo said. "Let’s do it."
Nagi’s new university was on the other side of the city, so they had to take the subway. Both boys stumbling over their feet, giggling of excitement, and because of the alcohol rushing through their blood, as they made their way towards the station.
"Fuck, the next one is in a minute! Hurry up!" Ryusei shouted.
"What? I can’t!" Reo was a good runner. He was a fucking football player, of course, he had to be. But right now he barely knew how to walk straight. Ryusei grabbed his hand and grinned.
"Yes, you can!" The dragged Reo with him, running through the masses. They barely made it, both of the boys screaming and yelling at the door before it closed and jumping into it. Ryusei dragged Reo in, and he collided right against his back, sending both of them to the ground.
"Fuck," Ryusei groaned.
"Shit, sorry," Reo said but he didn’t feel bad about it at all. He pushed himself up from Ryusei but the expression on the other male’s face made him laugh.
"Why are you laughing?" Ryusei asked but he was laughing now too.
"You just look so stupid."
Someone cleared their throat and Reo only now noticed how people were staring at those two young adults lying on the subway, laughing at each other. Reo should feel embarrassed about this.
He was Reo Mikage, he should never be caught in such an indecent and embarrassing position. But he didn’t care now. He got up and held his hand to his roommate, who grabbed it and pulled himself up. Both boys sat on free sets in the back, trying to hold back their laughter.
"Okay, we need to be quiet," Ryusei said, putting his index finger against Reo’s lips.
Reo responded by biting it.
"Ouch! What the fuck, dude."
"Why are you screaming? Thought you wanted to be quiet?"
"You little—" Ryusei nudged his shoulder with his. "We have a fifteen-minute ride."
"Needs to go by faster. I don’t want to arrive and be sober and regret this and not go through with it," he said.
"Here." Ryusei gave him one part of his headphone. "Let’s listen to music."
It made Reo think of the many times that he’s shared with Nagi. Wasn’t the same anymore once Airpods became a thing and they just used that. Something about sharing earphones while a thin cable connected you was way more intimate.
Reo put it in his ear and scooted closer to Ryusei, watching over his shoulder while he went through his playlists. His phone had a cracked screen but it didn’t seem to bother him. Some of the songs Reo knew, few Western here, there wasn’t exactly a set genre Ryusei settled on.
"This fine?" Ryusei asked. His voice was unusually soft and quiet.
"Yeah," Reo answered.
"So," Ryusei said. "What exactly did he do?"
Reo sighed. "I don’t even know where to start. And I don’t want to dump all of this on you."
"I like hearing you talk. You haven’t done much of it," Ryusei said.
Reo’s heart skipped a beat. "I don’t know myself. He saw this other guy and suddenly he wanted to drop everything for him, to be on his team. And now I’m the stupid idiot left behind when I’m the one who got him into football, staying at the dorms and staring at Instagram pictures and stories other people from his team uploaded in which he is in and maybe he was right. Maybe he’s better off there without me. Maybe this Isagi guy really is better and can improve him." Reo clenched his fists.
"Nah," Ryusei said. "He’s not worth it."
Reo laughed. "How’d you know? You don’t know him. Or me. And you don’t know Isagi either. I think they’re dating now too. I have no idea." Reo ran his hand through his hair.
"You should stop looking on your phone to check up on him."
"Oh, what should I do instead?"
"Talk to me? I dunno. Oh, let’s take a picture. We can make him jealous!" Ryusei’s eyes lit up and he took his phone, yanking the earphones out of it. The loud music he had been playing blasted through the wagon, making people stare at them again. Ryusei quickly stopped the song and put his arm around Reo to make a picture.
Reo made a peace sign and grinned into the camera.
"We look so good," Ryusei said. "Look, I even put a cat filter on us."
Reo laughed. "I can’t possibly post this."
"Yes, you can. I’m texting this to you."
Reo shook his head. "I doubt he’d get jealous. Even if you’re hotter than him."
"You think I’m hot?"
Reo opened his mouth and no words came out. Luckily for him, they arrived at their designation and he got up, dragging Ryusei along with him. The cool air was nice against his skin, especially his hot face.
"Hey, little bun, you’re avoiding my question."
Reo turned around at Ryusei. "Yes, I think you’re hot."
Ryusei blinked and then turned away. Wait, was he flustered? That was kind of cute actually. Reo grinned and grabbed Ryusei’s hand again.
"Let’s go!"
"This is his room?"
"Yep."
"You sure?"
"I’m never wrong."
Reo punched the air. "Okay. Okay, I can do this. No, wait. Let me drink a bit more, I’m sobering up."
Ryusei grabbed in the bag and gave him the half-empty bottle. It’s been too long since he drunk it, the disgusting flavor already burning his throat and tongue. "Next time, I’m buying."
"Nice, always wanted to try one of those really expensive sakes," Ryusei said. He took the bottle and took a few gulps too before putting the bottle away again. "You all fired up, little bun?"
"Yes," Reo said.
"I didn’t hear you."
"Yes!" Reo said louder.
"What?!"
"YES!"
Ryusei laughed and put on his hoodie, as well as Reo’s. Reo reached out and now he was the one pulling on the strings. He was so close to Ryusei this way. Ah, he might regret this later. Or just in a few minutes. But right now with the two strings of Ryusei’s hoodie in his palms, while he was wearing Ryusei’s as well, he just wanted to really kiss him.
"What?" Ryusei asked. "Kiss for good luck?" It was meant to be teasing but Reo just pulled him down by his strings and kissed him. It wasn’t a long kiss, but long enough to taste the unfamiliar feeling of Ryusei’s lips on his.
He hasn’t ever kissed anyone else before that wasn’t Nagi.
It was so strange, so different, and so, so thrilling. He decided he liked it. Ryusei let go and stepped back. "Eggs."
"Huh?" Ryusei asked, like he was in a daze.
"Eggs," Reo repeated, holding out his hand.
"Damn. Wait, let me collect my thoughts first."
Reo laughed. "I’ll kiss you again later, just hand me the eggs."
Ryusei quickly grabbed the pack of eggs out of his backpack and handed it to Reo. "I want several kisses," Ryusei said.
"Depends on how well you can aim," Reo replied with a smile.
"I’m the best egg thrower you’ve ever seen."