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It started after the fall of the Oval Tower. Well, actually, if you truly looked deeper, it started when the two Ribsteez leaders started meeting regularly for drinks at The Black Needle. The turning point was after Oval Tower and Mizuki finally woke up after nearly two months in a coma. Aoba still wasn't visiting him because he was so ashamed of him failing Scrap on Mizuki. However, Koujaku had no such guilt eating away at him. He visited quite regularly, helping him regain his strength as they worked on his rehab together.
Mizuki, having just done his exercises, was sitting in his hospital bed with his neck still wrapped up with white gauze and in his ugly green hospital clothes. Koujaku was in the chair next to him as they talked. It wasn't about anything important, just how they normally did before Morphine got their hooks in the olive eyed man. Koujaku couldn't help but admire him. He had beautiful dark skin with his lighter-colored eyes. He looked to have been Ainu based on his indigenous Japanese appearance.
He also admired the fact that he was easily able to show off his tattoos, unlike Koujaku was. He has always been ashamed of his. It was why he hid his under kimonos and hair, no matter how hot it got on Midorijima.
"Why are you staring at me?" Mizuki asked, flicking Koujaku in the center of his forehead.
He scoffed. "I kind of have to in order to keep a conversation going," he said in a tone that inferred the "duh." Olive eyes were rolled and a bunny-shaped apple was thrown. The two of them laughed after it had hit Mizuki in the face.
"Rude first of all. Second, I'm serious, man," he said. "You were staring at me as if I was one of your female customers or something." Was he? He hadn't even noticed. Normally, he thought that women were Kami's gift to the world, but right now, in this quiet hospital room, the only thing he thought of was the handsome man before him. He smiled softly at the other male.
"It's nothing, Mizuki," he said.
Mizuki nodded, still suspicious about Koujaku's actions. They went back to talking. Mizuki kept asking about what had happened during his time in a coma, as well as when he was in Morphine. Koujaku could sense that he was really worried about his Rib team as well as Aoba. So, he explained as well as he could. But he hadn't been in his head like Aoba had been so he didn't know the depth of the issue.
"So, Aoba accidentally used this 'Scrap' power on me, but he didn't know how to use it at the time?" Mizuki asked.
"Yeah. He was so torn up about it when he finally figured out what he had done. He thought that he had basically killed you."
That caused Mizuki to pause. He looked down at his hands in his lap. Whatever he was contemplating was clearly heavy stuff. One of his hands reached up to the covered tattoo on his neck.
"It wasn't his fault. I wish he would come and see me so that I could talk to him. But you know how he is; can never forgive himself for something that couldn't be helped." He let out a single, sad chuckle. His olive eyes flicked back up to meet red, swimming in unshed tears. A scarred hand reached out and grabbed the tanned hand on Mizuki's throat.
"I know. But let's not talk about that anymore. You are going to get worked up and you have such an ugly crying face," he teased, earning him a swat on the shoulder. The two of them laughed yet again.
"Sorry, sorry, I don't want to talk about sad things anymore either."
"Good, then I can lift the mood by saying that some of your men finally started waking up. Not many, only like two or three, but that means that they aren't completely gone." This instantly raised Mizuki's foul mood.
It warmed Koujaku's heart to see his friend so happy. He used to get those feelings when he made a girl laugh. Or when Aoba was a kid still and he would distract him from his Granny being late from work. It was so different feeling them with someone else. A man even. Not that it was necessarily a bad thing. Just new and exciting.
He looked down to see that they were still holding hands as they spoke. He was catching Mizuki up on the progress of his men. He didn't even realize that they were still doing that. He gave a gentle squeeze and earned one back in return. A lump formed in both of their throats. Matching blushes, making one's face red and the other's darken in tone. A cough. A bit lip. They both were embarrassed by actions neither realized happened to begin with.
"So... Uh..." a giddy chuckle. "H-how do you feel?" Koujaku asked. "A-about Aoba ending up with Ren?"
Just an excuse to keep him talking, and they both knew it. Not that Mizuki minded. "I don't care. We were a fling way back when. And I know you had liked him before you even left the island. But I'm over it. And I hope you are too?" A little inflection turned his statement into an inquiry. A sheepish smile. Who knew that lady killer Koujaku could get embarrassed by something like this.
"I'm over it."
"Good."
"Good."
The silence after that was a little awkward. Not that either one would ever admit to this to anyone. They weren't Soft, okay? They were manly for Kami sake! They didn't do soft. They were both usually so suave and smooth when it came to flirting or dating. Not awkward and embarrassed.
They met each other's eyes yet again and shared a small smile.
"I have a question." They both said at the same time.
They wanted to continue but didn't want to risk that stupid cliche. So, Koujaku motioned to Mizuki to speak first. He mumbled his thanks.
"We've known each other for a few years, haven't we, Koujaku?"
"Yeah, about four years I'd say. Or almost, at least." Mizuki nodded. He chewed on the inside of his cheek for a while. "Why do you ask?" He asked, even though he could guess Mizuki's next words.
He hesitated for a moment. "I like you. The long talks we've shared over the years. The drinks we've drunk. Hell, we've bonded over tattooed even though I know you are quite uncomfortable around them." He didn't know Mizuki knew about that. He hadn't told anyone that he hated tattoos. Not even Aoba, his best friend.
"I wanted to know if... There was any possibility that, when I get out of here finally, that you would want to do something sometime?"
He could help but tease him. "We do things all the time, Mizuki." He got another swat for that one. "Kidding, kidding. I knew what you meant. And of course. I'd like that. I'll even buy you flowers, how about that?"
"I hate you," Mizuki laughed.
"No you don't," he said, standing up, forcing their still clasped hands to release. "I have to go, but I'll stop by again later. Perhaps then I won't turn into something soft and mushy." He scowled at the thought.
Mizuki's light laugh filled the room. "Sure, lady killer. We'll see about that. I'll forever make it my life's mission to turn you soft. As long as I'm the only one your soft with, okay?"
Koujaku sighed playfully. "I guess I can live with that."
"Now go, ya big softy."