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His shoulder aches a little more than usual that day. Sousuke gets pulled aside by his swim coach who shows him a couple of websites on his phone, each with bits of information about how doing yoga can help increase his strength and release tension in his muscles. Sousuke is skeptical but doesn’t have much time to mull over the idea before he felt arms wrap around him from behind in a tight friendly hug.
“That sounds like such fun! We should do it together, Sousuke!”
“...Kisumi. Why are you here? You don’t go to this university. Actually, you don’t even swim.”
“You’re so cold, Sousuke... Your coach said it’s good to increase strength, right?” Kisumi suddenly turns to face Sousuke’s coach who is staring at them in complete bewilderment. “It would help for basketball players too, right?”
“Well, yes, it - ”
“Then it’s settled! Makoto once mentioned going to this place near his university... Why don’t we go check it out tonight?”
Sousuke knows that no matter what he says, his plans for that night are already set in stone with Kisumi. He lets out a loud sigh and hangs his head in defeat, ignoring Kisumi’s cheers and the laughter of his coach.
If it’ll get his shoulder to shut up, why not?
*
The yoga studio smelled like lavender incense and vanilla candles. There was faint relaxation music flowing throughout the room adding to the already relaxed atmosphere. The second they walked in through the door, a wave of wet heat and humidity hit Sousuke in the face quickly; he wasn’t expecting it and it made him stop in his tracks as the door closed behind him. Kisumi, however, wasn’t phased in the slightest. He walked past Sousuke and straight to the receptionist, smiling at the shorter boy on the other side of the desk.
“Hi!” Kisumi was all smiles and excitement; Sousuke couldn’t understand how. He was already feeling sluggish at the heat, but Kisumi just kept speaking as if he didn’t feel it. “We’ve never been here before, but we would like to register for tonight’s class if that’s okay!”
“Y-yes! Welcome!” The shorter boy stood up off of the stool he was seated on and bowed quickly at Kisumi and Sousuke, a shy smile spreading across his lips as he looked back at the two men. “I’m Nitori Aiichirou, I help run things up here.” Aiichirou paused and grabbed two pens and clipboards from a drawer before handing them over to Kisumi and Sousuke. “The class that starts in a few minutes will be taught by Matsuoka-senpai. He’s really good! You’ll like his style.”
“Great!” Kisumi commented as he began scribbling answers across the form Aiichirou handed to him. “We’ve never done yoga before, so I hope he’ll go easy on us!”
“Oh, you’re that new?” Aiichirou asked with a blink before his smile returned, even brighter than before. “There’s an introductory special, if you two want! It’s a week’s worth of classes for the price of one, so you can really see the benefits and results that hot yoga provides before committing to anything, if you choose to take it that far.”
“Wait.” The bells and whistles that were going off in Sousuke’s head for the past few minutes really began to explode with sound at Aiichirou’s words. “Hot yoga?”
“Oh, didn’t I tell you, Sousuke?” Sousuke was ready to snap Kisumi’s neck in two; his voice was way too chipper and calm. “This studio is for hot yoga! Makoto said it was better for him when he tried it because the heat made it easier to get into all of the different positions.”
Aiichirou nodded. “It’s true. It’s more known as hot yoga, but it’s actually called bikram yoga. It’s great for beginners because the heat helps your muscles to relax better and stretch into each posture... But, um, the room’s temperature will be about 39 degrees, then there’s the humidity. If you didn’t know... Didn’t you feel the heat when you came in?”
Sousuke was filled with even more regret. Regret for listening to Kisumi, regret for following along with Kisumi’s ideas, regret for not immediately questioning the ridiculous heat the second he stepped into the studio. No wonder Kisumi had acted so nonchalant about it; he was already aware that it was going to be hotter than hell.
“I want you dead,” Sousuke mumbled under his breath as he pressed his pen down hard on the paper to fill out the new member form.
“What was that, Sousuke?”
“I said... Thank you for the information, Nitori.” Sousuke sighed as he handed the clipboard back to Aiichirou who took it with a worried glance. “You’ve been more informative than this one over here.”
“A-ah, thank you! I’m glad...” Aiichirou trailed off, glancing down at the form to read off his name. “...Yamazaki-san! Um, if you’re not feeling fully prepared, we do offer mat and towel rentals as well. They’re included in the introductory week if you do that. We also have water bottles and other beverages.”
“Great! Sign us up!” Kisumi replied, totally ignoring the scowl Sousuke was sending his way. “We can come after class each day. Your shoulders will feel better in no time, I’m sure of it.”
“You’re something else,” Sousuke mumbled as he let out with a sigh, resigning in complete and utter defeat. He had no choice in the matter anymore, but he figured he shouldn’t complain; his shoulder had been aching more lately, so Kisumi had a point.
Aiichirou was moving about behind the desk for a few moments, oblivious to the staredown Sousuke was giving Kisumi. He finally glanced back up at the two men with two keyring cards in hand. “Here! Every time you come for a class, you can swipe these since you’re both now in the system. You can follow me, I’ll show you where to put your things and then get the towels and mats for you.”
Kisumi and Sousuke glanced at each other before following Aiichirou further into the studio down to where a wall full of wooden cubbies were, many already filled with shoes, bags, and other belongings.
“These are the clients’ cubbies. You can put all of your things here. Shoes aren’t allowed in the room, so you’ll have to leave them here as well. Make sure to take anything with you that you might need because it’s not recommended to leave once you go in. Going in and out of the heat kind of ruins the practice.”
“Ah...thank you,” Sousuke commented, his voice hushed. There were a few people at the cubbies with them putting their things away, and people walking into the hot room - they were all speaking in soft voices or not speaking at all. Sousuke felt awkward, as if speaking up would disturb the tranquility in some way. He didn’t even notice that Kisumi was dumping some of his items into a cubby until he elbowed him in the ribs with a short laugh. Well, Kisumi didn’t seem phased by the silence at all. Then again, he didn’t seem phased by anything, which annoyed Sousuke even more.
“You need to strip down, Sousuke,” Kisumi said as he laughed again, “you’ll pass out if you go in with your hoodie and track pants.” He winked playfully, ignoring the ‘tch’ he got in response and opted to focus his attention on removing his shoes and socks before stuffing them into the cubby as well. He folded his arms across his chest and leaned back against the cubbies as he waited for Sousuke to finally follow his lead. It was a great opportunity to simply look at him - he wasn’t blind, his friend was easy on the eyes. Kisumi couldn’t help but give a nod of approval at seeing him switch to a blue tank top and black shorts. He was about to let out one of his usual teasing comments when Aiichirou returned and handed them both a water bottle, a yoga mat, and a towel.
“Technically the water isn’t included but...you’ll both get dehydrated and could get sick. You’ll really need these.”
“Thanks!” Kisumi replied, playfully elbowing Sousuke’s side once again. “Let’s go in, yeah?”
Sousuke nodded in gratitude to Aiichirou before following Kisumi’s lead toward the hot room. He heard the shorter boy call out behind them, ‘just close the door once you’re in!’ and for a moment he didn’t understand why, but the second Kisumi pushed the sliding door over so they could enter, he understood.
They hadn’t even taken one step into the hot room and Sousuke could feel the heat wash over his body. The tank top felt like too much and the shorts didn’t feel short enough. It was a wet, sticky heat that clung onto his skin and held on tight.
He slid the door back closed before following Kisumi further into the room, glancing around at the others that were already inside waiting for the class to begin. There were people laying down on their mats with their eyes closed, people stretching in different positions, and people still getting settled in their spots. Kisumi eventually led them toward the center of the hot room where there was enough space for two more mats. Sousuke rolled out his yoga mat before unfolding the towel on top of it as he noticed others in the room had done as well. He figured it was to help with the sweat, which he could already feel droplets of forming on the back of his neck.
Sousuke went back to ignoring Kisumi, frustrated at how nonchalant he was acting about the whole thing. He attributed it to the fact that the pink haired boy was aware of what they were in for way in advance, when Sousuke simply was not. He settled into a seated position on his mat, rolling his head in slow circles to ease a little of the tension in his neck. He then rolled his shoulders back a few times, and had to admit the heat and humidity of the room did make it feel easier to move them for once. Sousuke could only hope that the full class would add to his alleviation.
He lowered himself down into a reclining position, letting his eyes slip closed as he settled into his towel and mat. He was trying to get used to the heat, used to the space, and used to the atmosphere before class began so he wasn’t at such a disadvantage. Sousuke felt like he was the only one in the room that wasn’t prepared enough or even completely willing to be there. There was a tiny voice in the back of his head that was poking at him, telling him that there was still time to bail out, that there was still time to call it quits and go do something more comfortable and less hot, that there was still time to -
“If everyone could slowly rise and stand at the top of your mats, we’re going to begin today’s practice with some breathing exercises.”
Sousuke’s eyes flew open. The voice that filled his head sounded like something straight out of a dream, he was convinced. He pushed himself back up onto his feet, quickly eyeing the person beside him to see what they were doing in order to follow suit. Sure, the voice had given instructions, but they were lost on Sousuke who was now glancing around the room in search of the man who spoke. When he found him, his breath got caught in his throat.
There was a tall redhead standing in the front of the room with a loose fitting tank top and black shorts that appeared more like a second skin. His short hair was pulled back into a tiny ponytail and the color was vibrant, more purple than red really, and contrasted with the pale color of his skin. He was muscular, very muscular, and Sousuke could clearly see the definition of biceps and triceps and deltoids and pecs so well thanks to that low cut tank top and -
“Somebody suddenly gained a whole new interest in yoga, huh?” came Kisumi’s hushed whisper, and Sousuke felt himself blush against his will.
“Shut the fuck up,” he mumbled under his breath, refusing to make eye contact.
“As always, there’s no talking in the class,” Sousuke didn’t miss the emphasis on those words and how narrowed red eyes were focused on himself and Kisumi with that comment, “and don’t feel pressured into doing moves you haven’t done before or don’t feel comfortable in doing. This is your practice, and there are modifications to everything. Regardless of your level, as long as you’re in the proper position for yourself, you’ll reap the benefits. Listen to your body.”
“I’m listening, all right,” Sousuke thought, eyes trailing back where he had left off before Kisumi’s teasing words. He was captivated by the other’s curves, beyond lost in how much he wanted to grab that round ass and see if it was as tight and muscular as he assumed it was. He needed to focus and remember exactly why he was there. “Calm down, you don’t even know his name.”
“Is there anyone new tonight?”
Sousuke, Kisumi, as well as a handful of others raised their hands. It eased him a little more to know that he wasn’t as alone in the process as he thought. Kisumi was no relief; he was full of teasing grins and winks, and Sousuke could tell that he was biting on his lip to refrain from laughing at him. Of course Kisumi would pick the class with an instructor he’d find attractive. Of course he would.
“Great. Welcome, and thank you for letting me join you in your practice. I’m Rin, one of the lead instructors here. This is a beginner’s hour class, and I’ll do my best to go around if anyone needs help or is struggling. Remember to breathe and to focus on yourself, no one else. This practice is yours.”
“You know his name now,” that tiny voice in the back of Sousuke’s mind chirped, and he took a few short deep breaths to will his focus back to front and center.
“We’re going to start with some deep breathing exercises. This will get you to focus on your breathing throughout the class, and push any negativity out of you.”
Sousuke could almost hear Kisumi’s internal laughter and made a note to himself to trip him after class - if he survived the class, that was. He could see beads of sweat forming on Rin’s brow making his long bangs stick to his forehead, and he wanted to reach out and brush his bangs behind his ears something fierce.
“Stand with your big toes together, heels slightly apart, shoulders pulled back, and back straight. Bring your hands together into prayer position, fingers linked, directly under your chin. Keep your elbows as close together as you can.”
Rin’s voice was so soothing, Sousuke had to admit. And he appreciated the descriptions of what to do. He also suddenly had a giant appreciation for Kisumi and the spot he picked for them in the room, because he was almost directly behind Rin who was in the front row leading. It would’ve been a shame to not lower his gaze to Rin’s calves and thighs to admire them from where he was standing... how could he not take advantage of his location?
“Breathe in deeply through your nose, and hold it. Then slowly tip your head back, hands following, and release the breath through your mouth. As you tip your head back, release your elbows to the sides while keeping your hands right under your chin. If you’re unsure, follow the front row for the first breath, then follow along.”
Sousuke watched the front row - well, he tried to, but he ended up just watching Rin as he performed the small movements, head tipping back along with the rest of his usuals. He could hear everyone’s loud exhales in unison, and could see how much they were concentrating. He wanted to do that too, he wanted to be a part of Rin’s practice, too. He wanted to feel it the way Rin did.
“When you exhale, really push it out. You’ll make a sound like you just heard, it’s normal. You want that. Once you exhale, return to your original position for another breath. Inhale...”
This time, Sousuke did join in, feeling his shoulder lightly begin to protest even the slight movements of interlocking his fingers under his chin. He ignored the faint ache, and followed the rest of the class with their exhale, his head tipping back to stare at the ceiling. Separating his elbows for the exhale made the ache just a tad stronger, but Sousuke was determined to persevere. The class had just started, how could he give in to a tiny ache already? This was what he needed to do, not just for the sake at looking at his instructor (which was a gigantic plus), but for the sake of his shoulder.
“Again. Inhale...” Rin paused, turning to watch the class as he heard them all take in their breaths. “And exhale.” He steadily moved his gaze across the room, making sure everyone was standing straight and following the flow correctly. “Pull your shoulders away from your ears, don’t hunch into yourself. We’ll do a few more breaths here. Again.”
If Sousuke could avoid the muscled body that was begging for his attention in front of him, he was starting to believe that he really could get into the class. The sweat was accumulating more now, and he was concerned because they hadn’t even done anything yet. The back of his tank top was sticking to his skin, and his bangs were matted down at his forehead. The list of distractions was growing in spite of the breathing exercises they were doing to focus, but he needed to prove himself wrong, now. He needed to see this through; he was not a quitter.
“The next posture we’ll do is called the sun salutation. It’s a flowing sequence of what are called asanas that helps get your body’s energy flowing. Bring your hands up to your heart center, shoulders back, core tight. Exhale, and take a moment to focus here.” Rin turned around again so he was facing the wall of mirrors at the front of the room. Sousuke was part glad and part frustrated; glad because he didn’t have to avoid making eye contact anymore, and frustrated because his distractions were back, front and center. “Inhale and bring your arms up overhead, slowly, don’t rush. Take your time. Exhale and fold down, bend your knees if you have to. If you can touch the floor, do it, if not, reach where you can. Wherever you are, just hang for a little while. Soften your gaze, relax your face and shoulders.”
Sousuke bit down hard on his lower lip as Rin guided them through the sequence. He had almost forgotten to bend his body into the fold, he was so centered on Rin’s body and how it moved, how those shorts hugged his muscles just so, leaving very little to Sousuke’s imagination. “You just had to bend your body like that, didn’t you? You asshole.”
As Rin gave the next set of directions for their next move, Sousuke willed himself to focus, inhaling deeply as his palms came to rest on his shins, his back forming a flat line. He made a face as he exhaled, switching into a low lunge with his right leg back. The ache in shoulder became more of a pinch of sharp pain right at the joint, and he hissed lowly in reaction to it. He bit down on the inside of his lower lip to avoid letting out any other sounds of discomfort as he shifted into plank position, and was sure that the acidic taste of copper was hitting his tastebuds at how hard he was biting when they moved into downward-facing dog. This part was a mistake. He had overexerted himself at practice that afternoon and Sousuke knew it, but now he was really facing the consequences of the day’s actions. He had to grin and bare it now, all the way back into the starting position.
“We’ll do that two more times. I’m going to come around and make sure everyone’s okay. If you’re stuck or need to know what to do next, it’s okay to glance again at those in the front row. Hands back to your heart center.” Once Rin was sure that the class was following through, he moved away from his spot in the front to head toward Sousuke’s right as he bent forward.
Sousuke didn’t want to look foolish; he wanted to impress Rin, show him that the newbie could catch on quick despite not exactly being in his comfort zone. He went to move into the next part of the sequence but felt a hand on his mid-back that stopped him in his tracks and made his blood run cold in his veins.
“Hey, are you okay? You made some pretty pained sounds before.”
He didn’t want to, but Sousuke glanced up to the side and saw Rin’s concerned gaze aimed at him. Out of nowhere, his legs felt like jello and felt like they’d give out under him and cause him to crash down onto his mat in an ungraceful heap. Rin was... well, he was beautiful. His cheeks were flushed red from the heat of the room, bangs pressed against his forehead and the sides of his face. Sousuke couldn’t comprehend the long, black eyelashes nor the deep red eyes that they were slightly covering up. His lips were parted just a little, and were those pointed teeth? Everything about him was pale and red and pink and beautiful and Sousuke suddenly wanted to take Kisumi out for dinner in gratitude.
“I, um,” his words were failing him, “my shoulder. Swimmer’s shoulder. I maybe overexerted it today.”
“Just today?” was the teasing response he got that left him speechless. “I doubt it was just today, Mr. Swimmer.” Now not only were Sousuke’s words gone, but so was his breath; did Rin just tease him? Did Rin just speak English? “The heat’s going to help as we get further in the class, but try this modification for now.”
Sousuke and his unblinking eyes followed Rin’s lead as he showed him a modified version of the sun salutation for him. This one involved more bent knees with the forward bends and back stretches, and did away with the downward-facing dog in exchange for child’s pose and forward bends from his knees.
His shoulder, although still slightly aching, was less used and less depended upon to complete the sequence of movements. It did a world of difference that Sousuke couldn’t fully wrap his head around. He moved to thank Rin, but the other simply grinned at him before moving back to his spot in the front for the next posture. He could feel Kisumi’s gaze on him, but Sousuke refused to look at him, refused to leave his happy little place of warm stretches and toothy grins and Rin’s hand on his back.
The next 45 minutes went about the same route. Rin would describe what to do and the benefits of it as he, and the rest of the front row, demonstrated how to move into the posture. Then the rest of the class followed along. He would demonstrate the move once or twice before moving to help those that were struggling, or shift somebody into the right form of a position, or switch someone into a modification of a posture. Sousuke was floored by him and how good he was, how passionate he was. Part of him wanted to simply sit down and watch him.
His heart skipped a beat every time the class would move into a posture or a sequence that was demanding on the shoulders because Rin hadn’t forgotten about him. He was always sure to show a modification of the pose for anything with wrist or shoulder injuries, and when he walked around Sousuke had found it hard not to notice that Rin would check on him, first. It made him feel good, and made him want to push to follow through with the pose, not just to see that toothy grin that made his cheeks burn up, but so he could say that he pushed through and accomplished it.
What was great, was that Sousuke was really getting into it despite the heat.
What was horrible, was that Sousuke thought he was going to die - and not from the temperature.
Rin was teasing him, he had to be. As the class progressed, Sousuke had decided what his favorite postures were. He liked extended tree pose - he liked how the muscles of Rin’s upper back tightened and flexed when his arms moved overhead, liked how his straight leg would lock into position and how he could see the lines and definition clear as day with how strong and firm his balance was. It was also rather pleasant seeing his bent leg tremble slightly, his thigh glistening with perspiration. A drop of sweat rolled down the back of Rin’s leg from his thigh right at his shorts down to his ankle, and a wicked, dirty part of him wanted to walk forward and press his hands into Rin’s hipbones before he lapped up the drop and dragged his tongue along the trail it left behind all the way up his leg and under his shorts.
He liked downward-facing dog a lot now that he didn’t have to do it himself and aggravate his shoulder. While the rest of the room was standing in an upside down V with their hands and feet on the ground, Sousuke would either be in child’s pose or in a forward bend from his knees. It gave him the perfect chance to glance upward to see the round athletic ass that was put on display in front of him, legs strong and unmoving. Rin’s tank top would bunch up and pretty much fall off of his body and Sousuke had to refrain from moaning in appreciation at the pectorals and abdominals that graced his vision. He could swear that Rin was aware of it, however. He caught that red gaze as he watched him so often he lost count, and sent an ache in-between his legs every time his staring was met with a grin in response.
Bow pose wasn’t fair. They went into the pose toward the end of the class when everyone was starting to shake more in their poses from exhaustion. Sousuke wasn’t feeling nearly as achey as he had in the beginning of the class, and opted to give the position a try. He grabbed his feet and on the inhale, he kicked his legs up in his grip, and when he went to raise his head to look up, he got stuck staring at Rin again. Rin was saying not to let go, to keep looking up and kicking up, but Sousuke’s focus on his posture was gone. Instead, it was staring straight ahead at the parted thighs and how there was slight shaking to even Rin’s legs as he kicked them back high into the pose. His tank top was drenched with sweat and stuck to his back, drops dripping down his arms and onto his towel. His arm muscles were taut and straining, holding on tight to his pose before he gradually released it. Sousuke knew he couldn’t get into the pose as deeply as Rin could - he was a beginner, he had a shoulder injury, and he was far too distracted.
That boy just looked too good laying there, sweat dripping off of his body, breathing heavily, muscles tight, clothes barely on him. Two could play that game, however. Sousuke could play, too.
Right before they moved into standing bow position, Sousuke made a show of gradually removing his soaked tank top before grabbing his water bottle. The back of his hand wiped the sweat from his forehead before he took a few long sips of the cold liquid. When he recapped the bottle and stood to face the front again, Rin was staring at him in the mirror, and his grin was long gone. There was something in his eyes that Sousuke couldn’t place, but it egged him on to keep going.
When Rin told them to find a focal point before grabbing their back leg and bending into the position, Sousuke followed his instruction - by making Rin’s gaze his focal point. He locked onto the other, making eye contact in the mirror as he pushed his body forward, kicking his back leg up as far as he could. Aiichirou was right, the heat really did assist with flexibility into the postures, and Sousuke was going to take that to his advantage. The arm he had reaching forward kept reaching out as if he were aiming to grab for Rin, lips parting as he breathed, chest rising and falling with each inhale and exhale. He may have exaggerated a bit with the goal of showing off his muscles, too.
Rin wasn’t blind. He also wasn’t careful enough. His jaw went slack and he wobbled on his feet, slipping out of the posture as he lost his balance and fell back to a regular standing position. He placed a hand on his hip as his free hand moved to brush his bags out of his eyes, and there it was - that grin that was driving Sousuke wild was back, and he knew that their little competition was on. Sousuke didn’t feel as incompetent anymore. They had a competition going, now, and he was determined to win it.
When Rin began walking around during a leg and back stretch after warrior pose, Sousuke was ready for him. Legs spread slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, arms behind his back with fingers interlocked, he followed the class as they bent forward with flat backs, keeping his arms close to his back instead of stretching them out to avoid straining his shoulder. He tightened his thigh muscles, legs strong with his feet pressed firmly on the mat. He was staring between his legs at the wall behind him, and when Rin walked by he made sure to make eye contact again, sending him a grin of his own before licking his lower lip. This caught Rin by surprise and he blushed before quickly looking away to check on the rest of the class. Sousuke didn’t know how, but being flustered made him hotter.
“The last part of our practice today is one of the most important, savasana, or corpse pose,” Rin announced once they moved out of their last back stretch. “Lay flat on your back on your mat, legs spread, toes facing out. Stretch out your arms a little away from your sides, palms facing up. If you prefer, your palms can stay down, or stay flat on your stomach if you feel more comfortable that way. Settle into your mat, into your space, into your breath. Close your eyes.”
Rin’s voice had taken a softer, even more soothing tone that Sousuke didn’t realize was possible. That same wicked part of him from before was ready to stand up and propose marriage to the man he had only somewhat known for about an hour. He couldn’t help himself.
“Allow your body to come into complete stillness, full relaxation. Let your breath move in its own rhythm. Relax.”
Sousuke didn’t think he could relax. All he could think of was Rin and his body, and when was the next class, exactly? Next time, he didn’t plan on letting Kisumi tag along, not when he felt the other’s gaze on him all night. He was probably dying to fall over with laughter, Sousuke was sure of it, but he had other things to worry about. Despite all of that, he did notice that his aches were gone. The sharp, stinging sensation in his shoulder that he felt at the beginning of the class was long gone and instead he just felt good. Warm. Comfortable. It was a nice change.
“Be proud of yourself for taking time away from all the stress and drama of your life to come here and focus on your practice. It’s important to make sure you have time for yourself, for your mind, and for your body. Even if you can only pull away for a little while. Relax here for a few moments, move only when you’re ready. When you do leave the room, remember to keep silent to be respectful of others and their practice as well. Thank you for sharing your practice with me, namaste.”
“Namaste,” Sousuke found himself murmuring with the rest of the class. His face felt like it was on fire, and he could no longer tell if it was because of the heat and humidity, or something else. He didn’t want to wait around, he wanted to get up and follow Rin as he heard him gather his things and silently exit the hot room, but he wanted to be respectful. Besides, he needed to gather himself together before he even attempted approaching him.
Sousuke wasn’t sure how much time had gone by before he felt a finger poking his arm, and he mentally cursed Kisumi all over again. Eyes fluttering open, he glared at the pink haired boy who sheepishly waved at him, before he slowly got up and got all of his belongings together. The two stayed silent as they followed another man out of the hot room and into the main part of the studio by the cubbies. The blast of cooler air was such a relief and Sousuke let out a loud sigh of gratitude at the feel of it against his flushed skin. He grabbed his towel and began wiping the sweat off of his body, taking care to go slow and steady in case somehow magically, Rin was watching him.
“So, what did you think! Granted, I think you forgot about your shoulder before the class even started, Sousuke,” Kisumi teased with a laugh as he ran his towel along his arms and neck.
“Shut up, Kisumi,” Sousuke grumbled, running the towel along his forehead and nape. “I... I actually feel good, really good. I don’t feel as sore or achey anymore.”
“Ah, so it was a success!” Aiichirou’s voice chirped, causing Kisumi and Sousuke to turn and face the shorter boy, unable to keep from matching his smile. “I’m so glad to hear that, Yamazaki-san, Shigino-san. Matsuoka-senpai teaches the 8pm class on weekdays, so you can try it again tomorrow if you’d like.”
“Sousuke would loooove to! Wouldn’t you, Sou?” Kisumi laughed.
Sousuke turned to face him again, mouth opening to reply but was cut off by another laugh that made him forget his words anyway.
“He better. Not bad, for a beginner,” came Rin’s teasing words, and Sousuke wanted to die at embarrassment at how much he knew he was blushing.
“I think I pulled my own weight in there,” Sousuke replied with a shrug. “But, thank you for your modifications. I didn’t realize it was going to be tricky in there at first.”
“Swimmer’s shoulder, huh? Butterfly?” Sousuke’s eyes widened, but he nodded. “Yeah, I figured. I swim butterfly too, and front crawl, since early grade school. That’s why I started taking yoga, to help my muscles so I wouldn’t have my body give out on me.”
“I don’t see how it could.” The words were out of Sousuke’s mouth before he could stop himself, and he only noticed by the loud laughter that came from Kisumi behind him.
Aiichirou simply smiled wider. “Whenever you’re both done... there’s a hamper for the dirty towels, and another one for the mats, you can toss both in there. We’ll wash them before we close tonight. Thank you so much!” He bowed quickly before excusing himself, not before letting out a low chuckle - probably at Sousuke’s expense.
Kisumi didn’t say a word, just began humming softly as he grabbed Sousuke’s towel and mat from him to get rid of them as per Aiichirou’s directions, then follow the shorter boy back to the receptionist’s desk.
“Mm, you see, huh? I noticed. I noticed a lot, actually,” Rin answered as he folded his arms across his chest. “Sousuke, was it? Nice to meet you.”
“Rin - ”
“You really thought I didn’t notice you watching me?” His voice had lowered, and when exactly had he gotten so close? “I was watching you, too. Those broad shoulders and that ridiculously muscular body... Shit, I don’t even know how you’re real.”
“M-me?” Sousuke stuttered, gaping at Rin in surprise. “Have you looked at yourself at all?”
“I’d much rather look at you.” Rin shrugged, then began walking away from Sousuke, toward a door that was slightly ajar behind them. “C’mere.”
“What?”
“You idiot, you said swimmer’s shoulder, yeah? I know all about that. Come here, I have something for that in my office.”
Sousuke felt as though he had lost the ability to function, and nodded dumbly as he followed Rin’s lead into the back office. It was spacious, with a leather couch and bean bags, and some blue-eyed boy that Sousuke needed to have leave immediately.
“Haru. Out.”
“Thankfully, Rin seems to have the right idea,” Sousuke mused.
“Excuse me? That’s rather rude - ”
“Fine.” A pause. “Hi, Haru. Get out.”
“That’s even ruder - ”
“Get. Out. Haru.”
There was a loud sigh before the blue-eyed boy, Haru-whatever, finally got up off of the couch to walk past Sousuke in order to exit the office. The two made eye contact, and Haru’s blue eyes scanned Sousuke’s body up and down for a moment.
“He’s a damn tree, Rin. You into the burly, sweaty, muscled type?”
“Bye, Haru!” Rin said with a completely fake cheery tone before he reached out to place his hands on Haru’s back to push him out of the room, door closing and locking behind him. “Damnit, he never makes anything easy for me.”
“Um.” And Sousuke was back to being a speechless junior high boy with no clue what to do with himself.
Rin seemed to find it cute, or something, because he laughed, walking back over to Sousuke to stand in front of him with his hands on his hips. “Well?”
“You said, that you... You said... For shoulders...”
“Ah, yeah. I did.” Rin paused, seeming to mull over the reminder before he was suddenly a blur of movement in front of Sousuke, arms wrapping tightly around him as he crashed their lips together in a hot kiss.
Not only did Sousuke lose the ability to speak, but he lost his ability to move. He was goo, putty, clay, whatever Rin wanted him to be. All he wanted all night long as to feel that skin, that body, under his palms and now that the opportunity had been granted to him, he was a stone statue.
“Fuck, you’re hot,” Rin breathed out, pulling his lips away from Sousuke’s to trail a line of nips and bites down the side of his neck and collarbone. It had Sousuke groaning and his hands finally made their way to Rin’s hips, feeling like that’s where they were meant to be. “You were teasing me, all night long. You with your shy beginner student bullshit, and your absolutely illegal body, and you licking your stupid lips...” Rin trailed off, his lips continuing their attack on Sousuke’s body by lowering from his collarbone down to his right nipple to start gently nipping and sucking at, causing Sousuke to hiss and grip harder onto Rin’s hips. “And you were just lying there, how am I supposed to run through the practice with you just lying there like that?”
“O-oh, so, you noticed?” he joked, brain on complete sensory overload.
“I noticed...” Rin mumbled around his nipple, before giving it a careful bite that had Sousuke crying out and covering his mouth with one of his hands to keep quiet. “You coming back for more classes, yeah?” he asked as his hands trailed to Sousuke’s shoulders, fingers pushing deep into his flesh to begin a firm massage of the muscles there, rolling in slow, small circular motions.
Sousuke swore his eyes were going to roll back into his head if they hadn’t already. “Y-yeah...”
“Mm, good.” Rin flicked Sousuke’s nipple with his tongue before switching over to the other one to give it the same amount of attention, letting it go after a few moments of pleasure-filled torture. “But, hey. Next time you better put your hands to good use, or I’ll leave you in Haru’s class.”
“Huh?” The fog of bliss was lifted and Sousuke was back in reality, hands finally sliding down to grip onto Rin’s ass, cupping the firm cheeks and causing his mouth to water with want. “You mean like this?”
Rin bit back a moan before nodding in reply. “Y-yeah, like that, idiot,” he mumbled out. One hand kept massaging Sousuke’s injured shoulder while the other hand trailed down his body, slowly slowly slowly tracing lines down the hard edges of his toned upper body before palming his crotch firmly. “Don’t let me down.”
Sousuke was reduced to nothing but gasps and groans, but as quickly as they were brought on, they were just as quickly taken away - as was Rin. Rin suddenly pulled away from him, letting him go and leaving him hungry with need and want. He blinked, staring at him wide-eyed as Rin simply winked at him before unlocking the office door. He was out of the room before Sousuke even had a moment to process the past few minutes of his life. His shoulder felt fantastic, but he had an ache between his legs that he was sure would kill him.
Gulping, he stumbled out of the office and made a dash for his cubby to get his hoodie and track pants back on, not caring about how sweaty and disgusting he was. He had a cold shower waiting for him at home.
Kisumi already had his belongings and was waiting at the front desk while talking to Aiichirou. Rin was nowhere in sight and Sousuke supposed that was for the best.
“I hope you both have a great night, and thank you so much for coming!” Aiichirou exclaimed. All Sousuke could muster up was a smile; he was afraid that if he spoke he’d say something vulgar about Aiichirou’s employer and no one needed to hear that.
He and Kisumi waved goodbye and started heading out the door before Aiichirou suddenly flailed and jumped down from his stool, rushing to catch the two.
“W-wait! I totally forgot, I’m sorry!” He reached out his arm and Sousuke saw that the shorter boy had a business card in his hand and was handing it to him. “Matsuoka-senpai asked me, well no more like demanded... that I give this to you!”
Sousuke took it, puzzled as he stared at the front of it.
Matsuoka Rin - Yoga Instructor, Swim Coach, Massage Therapist
Sharkbait Yoga Studio
The contact information for the yoga studio was listed below it. He was about to question it, but Aiichirou had already rushed back to his spot to answer questions and help the stragglers who were still leaving their class.
“Flip it over, dummy!” Kisumi said with an eyeroll, and Sousuke cursed under his breath before doing so. On the back was another phone number scrawled in rushed handwriting, followed by: you better call or text me! xo
“So? What time shall we meet for class tomorrow, hmmm?” Kisumi said, his smile evident in his voice.
“Shut the hell up, Kisumi,” Sousuke replied, but there was no malice in his tone and he was smiling. “It appears that I owe you dinner. Once we freshen up, what are you in the mood for?”
“What?? Wow! That guy’s even got you smiling! I’m thinking fondue tonight... There’s this place Hayato once mentioned, we should try it!”
As Kisumi went on about the place he had in mind, Sousuke’s focus switched over to his cell phone where his fingers were rapidly pressing buttons before hitting ‘send.’
So... I’m putting my hands to good use.
Not even five minutes had gone by before Sousuke felt a buzz in reply.
I think I’d rather you show me, if you survive tomorrow’s class.
You won’t be speaking much after, let’s just say that. He typed out, and he heard the loud groan from Kisumi beside him just as he hit ‘send’ again.
“Can’t you be gross later? You promised me fondue! I practically set you both up, I’m a skilled matchmaker.”
“You absolutely did not, you only came here because Tachibana said it was good, and he wasn’t even here to - ” Sousuke cut himself off at the sound of another incoming text message.
Promises promises. xo
“...so, do you want dessert, too, Kisumi?”
“...Yes!”