Chapter Text
Yuri sighed and rubbed his temples, feeling his frustration grow with each passing second.
I fucking hate math , he thought with intent, hoping Kenjirou would come validate him, even though he knew he wouldn’t. His soulmate was far too much of a bookworm to actually agree, but he could try.
Luckily, math doesn’t hate you , Kenjirou answered, and Yuri groaned, shaking his head as he put the pen down.
You are such a nerd , Yuri thought, but there was a smile curling on his lips. It was impossible when he thought of his soulmate, to hold back his smile. He would never admit that to anyone, and if anyone pointed it out he would bring swift vengeance on them. Luckily, here in the solitude of his room, there was no one to see. Just him and Kenji, sitting hundreds of miles apart, working on their separate homework.
What’s the problem? Read it to me and maybe I could help? Kenjirou thought, and Yuri turned the side up, starting to read.
Two large and 1 small pumps can fill a swimming pool in 4 hours. One large and 3 small pumps can also fill the same swimming pool in 4 hours. How many hours will it take 4 large and 4 small pumps to fill the swimming pool, Yuri sent over, and he could almost imagine Kenjirou writing it down, even though they had never sat next to each other to study. They had exchanged selfies of course, and facetime on the regular, but they had not met in person, yet. Hopefully soon, when they were both out of high school and didn’t have to deal with this shit anymore. Why did Yuri need to learn about pumps anyway?
Okay, so what do you feel is hard about the problem? Kenjirou asked, and Yuri groaned again.
There’s too much text, he sighed, looking over the problem again. And it just makes me want to go to the pool. Can’t we do that instead of math, Kenji?
Kenjirou giggled, and Yuri smiled, happy to have accomplished that at least. He might suck at math, but at least he could make his soulmate happy.
Yes I would much rather go to the pool with you then do history homework too, but we all have our crosses to bear , Kenjirou pointed out, and Yuri groaned. We can go to the pool this summer, once we’re done with it all.
Good, Yuri thought, hoping it would give him incentive to get through this school year. Now, can you help me understand this?
To say that Kenjirou was nervous was an understatement. He continued to fiddle with the bag slung over his shoulder, adjusting the strap, shifting it from shoulder to shoulder. This was so silly, he was acting crazy! He had spent his entire life talking to Yuri, ever since they were little. They had spoken on the phone and video chatted and sent countless selfies to each other over the years. So what if they were meeting in person for the first time? So what if he would get to touch him and hold him and see his eyes for real. So what if they would now be living in the same city, their college dorms just a couple of blocks apart, instead of having miles separating them.
It was fine, everything would be fine.
Why couldn’t he stop trembling?
Kenjirou looked over the parked cars again and felt his heart paus in his chest, only to lurch into activity as a dark motorcycle drove into the parking lot. Minami would know that motorcycle anywhere. Yuri had sent him so many photos of it since he bought it, having saved up all the money he had gotten from his summer job last summer. He had been so proud, and had promised to take Kenjirou on a ride as soon as he was able.
Today might be the day.
Was this really happening?
They had originally planned to meet up in the beginning of the summer, after both of them had graduated from high school, and were free. Then, they had both gotten their acceptance letters to the same college, close to where Yuri had grown up, and they had both decided to hold out a little longer. It had felt like an eternity in June, but now, it was time.
Kenjirou’s heart pounded so hard, and pain shot up his lip as he bit down on it a little too hard on it. His hands found his hair, and he tried to push it in place from the wind having ruffled it, just as he saw Yuri push off the bike. Kenjirou took a step closer, just as Yuri pulled the helmet from his head, shaking his shoulder-length hair out. It was more golden in person, and Kenjirou’s heart lurched in his chest as he took yet another step, and then another.
Yuri’s eyes found him, and then Kenjirou was running, rushing forwards towards him. Yuri’s eyes widened, but he opened his arms easily, and without a second thought Kenjirou collided into his embrace, pressing close even after Yuri let out a soft oof .
“Shit,” Yuri muttered under his breath, but as his arms tightened around Kenjirou’s shoulders. “I’m not going anywhere, Kenji.”
“Hi,” Kenjirou said instead of acknowledging the remark, because it very much felt like Yuri could just slip between his fingers at any moment. Still, he was unable to stop himself from grinning widely into Yuri’s shoulder as his arms wound tight around his waist. “This is surreal.
“Have you waited long?” Yuri asked, and Kenjirou shook his head, pushing back so he could look his soulmate in the eye. Yuri smiled, one of those rare sweet ones that made his entire face light up. It was so pretty. The prettiest Kenjirou had ever seen.
“No,” Kenjirou said as he shook his head, smiling even wider at the sight of Yuri so close. His green eyes were even brighter in person, and he had a hard time pulling away from them, as well as the hug. “I just got down from the dorm.”
“Do you like it? They didn’t give you something shitty, did they? I’ll kick someone if they did,” Yuri said, that fire that lived in his heart was always so present in his expression as well. Kenjirou loved that about him. He was always so fierce, so strong and determined.
“It’s fine,” Kenjirou laughed as he took a step away, even as he missed the warmth of Yuri’s body against his own. He didn’t want to crowd him after all. “It’s not fancy, but not too bad either. I don’t have a roommate so,” he shrugged, and Yuri narrowed his eyes at him.
“We should go up,” Yuri said, reaching a hand out towards him. “Just to check. I know you, you know. Chances are the place is a dump but you’re too kind to say anything.”
“It really isn’t,” Kenjirou said with a laugh, and took the offered hand. He knew better than to comment on it, but simply led Yuri towards the dorm he had moved into the day before. “Are you happy with yours?” he asked as they walked through the front door, and then up the dark stairwell.
“Yeah, it’s a good building, but it’s in private housing. More space than I thought there would be. My own kitchen and bathroom. The guy living next to me seems like a jackass though, called me a girl first thing he did,” Yuri said, twisting his hand in Kenjirou’s grip so he could lace their fingers together. Kenjirou smiled to himself even as he kept his gaze on the stairs, and squeezed.
“That’s rude,” Kenjirou said. He knew Yuri had dealt with a lot of people being judgemental towards his appearances in high school, and had always encouraged him to be himself. Kenjirou would never want him to be anyone else after all, he loved him as he was. “I think you’re beautiful. He’s probably just a jealous jerk.”
“Yeah,” Yuri chuckled. “He could never pull off this look.”
“Not many could,” Kenjirou agreed, and then stepped into the corridor leading to his dorm. There was a lot of activity going on, many of the doors open as students ran back and forth between them. It was loud, with some playing music, others having their TV volume up loud as they watched some type of sports event. Yuri said nothing, and even if Kenjirou didn’t look back to see it, he was fairly sure people parted for them like the red sea because Yuri was glaring at them.
“This is loud,” he commented as Kenjirou came to a stop, glancing around down the corridor. “I hope you brought earplugs.”
“I have good noise canceling headphones,” Kenjirou said as he unlocked the door, opening it slightly wider to let Yuri in. “Mom bought them for me.”
“Smart,” Yuri said, and then stepped inside the sparsely decorated room, still holding on to Kenjirou’s hand.
“So, this is it,” Kenjirou said as he closed the door behind him, the sound from the corridor only quieting slightly. “What do you think?”
“It’s okay,” Yuri said, and Kenjirou smiled. “It doesn’t look like your room at home though. Where’s all the stuff?”
Kenjirou flushed as he looked around the space. It was very bare, as opposed to how his room with his parents had been, the walls there covered in photos and posters, fairy lights and banners. He had plans to put some of it up here too, but he had been far too nervous yesterday, trying not to think too much about this meeting and how it would go.
“I haven’t gotten to it yet,” he said and suffled in place, looking over towards the small kitchen setup he had. It was basically just a miniature fridge, a microwave and a kettle, but it was enough so he wouldn’t have to use the shared kitchen two floors down all the time. It was really the thing he was dreading the most about the dorm living. He had gone down yesterday, and felt as if he had stepped into an episode of Kitchen Nightmares. “Do you want tea?”
“Yeah,” Yuri said, and then let Kenjirou’s hand slip from his as he took another step into the room, while Kenjirou moved to the bathroom to get water, and started the kettle. He pulled two cups from a box he had yet to fully unpack, and tea from another box next to it. ”So I guess it’s not a complete dump.”
“Yeah I think it’s okay, I’m happy about the own bathroom, I wished I had a kitchen though,” Kenjirou said. “I swear I saw things that could crawl out of the fridge down stairs.”
“Eww,” Yuri said, and when Kenjirou looked back at him he looked horrified. “Disgusting. You can always come cook at my place you know.”
Kenjirou’s heart jumped in his chest, and he felt his cheeks warm from the offer.
“I don’t want to impose?” he said in question, and Yuri rolled his eyes, making Kenjirou laugh. This felt known, comfortable, almost like having Yuri inside his head instead.
“Not imposing if I offer, Kenji,” Yuri said, and then squared his shoulders, looking fierce and determined. “I mean it.”
“Okay, sounds good,” Kenjirou said as he nodded, fussing with the tea.
It was strange to hear him like this, with his ears rather than in his head, but it was nice. Yuri had a very nice voice, and it made Kenjirou’s heart do strange things in his chest. Did all soulmates feel like this when meeting? There was a sort of security in Yuri’s company, and he felt safe, and was sure that they already knew each other inside and out. He had looked to Yuri for comfort when upset, they had celebrated each other’s victories all through life - from learning to swim, to getting that video game wished for for Christmas, to graduating high school. Still, did everyone feel butterflies like this? Did everyone feel this deep longing to touch and be close?
It had felt so very good to be near Yuri, physically. To hug him and to hold his hand had felt earth shattering. It had made him feel very differently than it had felt with anyone else before.
Did everyone feel like this?
And most importantly, did Yuri?
“Here we are,” Kenjirou said as he brought the cups over to the small couch he had managed to fit in there. It was really a very small two seat, far too cramp with the table and the bed, but it was still nice.
“Thanks,” Yuri said as he took his cup between his hands, taking a sip before placing it on the worn and rangely coffee table. “How do you feel, being here?”
“Good, excited but scared,” Kenjirou said. “It’s strange to be so far from home, but I’m really glad I came.”
He looked up over the edge of his cup, and smiled. Yuri’s cheeks filled with red, and Kenjirou took a sip of his own tea, before placing it on the table too.
“How about you?” he asked, pulling his lower lip in between his teeth again, just to try to stifle the nerves pooling in his gut.
“Good, good,” Yuri said, and then his gaze dropped to Kenjirou’s mouth, before looking back up to his eyes. Kenjirou felt as if his breath had caught in his chest, and his heart hammered against his ribs as Yuri reached out slowly, hand coming to cup his cheek. He barely dared to move as Yuri pulled his lower lip out with his thumb, trembling under the touch.
For a long moment they simply sat there, staring at each other. The tension was so thick, and it made Kenjirou tremble. Still, he couldn’t hold back. It felt far too good to hold back.
Kenjirou moved, slowly leaning forwards. Yuri met him halfway, at least it felt like he did, and their mouth’s pressed against each other, a soft press of lips. Yuri’s lips were smooth, and light, and Kenjirou pressed just a little closer, firmer into it, his hands finding the way to around Yuri’s neck. The half-long hair danced over his arms as he did, and it made it all feel more real.
He was kissing Yuri.
He was kissing Yuri.
The realisation made him dizzy, and he pulled back with a gasp, his eyes big as he met Yuri’s as they fluttered open.
“I liked that,” Yuri said, vulnerability in his eyes. Kenjiou nodded, far too overwhelmed to say anything at all, even if it felt like his mind was rushing a mile a minute. “Can we do it again?”
“Yes,” Kenjirou agreed, and then pressed forward once more.