Work Text:
Ren sits next to Gakushuu. They are studying in the library, and Ren intertwines their hands while reading his book. For a short moment, Gakushuu looks up from his notes and looks at their hands, smiling.
He leans against Ren and continues to study and revise his writings.
Ren doesn’t know when they started all of this, not that he’s complaining. He enjoys these quiet moments shared between the both of them.
Although he forgot when it started, Ren will never fail to remember how it all started.
Gakushuu and Ren were spending their time after school in the student council room.
It had already developed into a routine. They would either be here or in the library.
Gakushuu had always been a workaholic, and Ren tried to keep an eye out for him while keeping up with his grades himself.
Kunugigaoka has a new principal after Gakuhou Asano’s resignation, and the workload got less, but it was still one of Japan’s most prestigious and successful schools. He couldn’t afford to slack off.
It was like always; they worked in a comfortable silence, only broken by small comments or questions concerning their material or student council work.
Ren doesn’t remember when he started to sit next to Gakushuu instead of opposite to him.
He doesn’t remember when exactly he started to call him Gakushuu instead of Asano.
It just happened during their time together.
Ren remembers learning about Gakushuu’s small habits nobody knows of.
He remembers talking more and more to him, about school, hobbies, interests and personal things.
He remembers seeing Gakushuu cry for the first time while the other told him about his father’s student who was like a brother to the strawberry blonde. He told him about their happy times at the mountain, the old 3-E classroom, but also about the day that changed everything in Gakushuu’s and his father’s life.
It was only natural for them to grow closer and closer until Ren didn’t know if he could call Gakushuu just his best friend anymore.
He meant so much more to him.
Maybe he could call this feeling a crush, though it felt like so much more.
But Ren couldn’t be sure if Gakushuu felt the same, they never talked about it. Most of their communication happened wordlessly.
So he started slowly, sitting next to him and carefully placing one of his hands on Gakushuu’s hand.
Ren recalls his friend looking up and examining their hands before sliding closer and continuing to work.
So they continued at their own pace.
A small hand squeeze, a warm smile, accidental touches, a head resting on a shoulder, a hug here and there.
Small gestures, treasured in the depths of his heart.
That day wasn’t different. They were sitting next to each other, so close Ren could feel Gakushuu’s shoulders rise and fall with every breath the other took while he leant against him.
It really was nothing special.
Ren called out Gakushuu’s name, the other naturally looking at him. And at that moment, it was as if he forgot everything around them. Ren couldn’t remember what he wanted to ask his friend. He just remembers getting closer to him until he could feel Gakushuu’s breath on his lips, hesitating in fear of destroying their close bond with this step.
His heart beat faster than ever before, echoing through his head, the only thing he could hear.
These few seconds felt like minutes until Gakushuu smiled softly and closed the gap between them.
Their first kiss was clumsy and short, but it still felt exhilarating.
Gakushuu had no experience, it was endearing to Ren.
They would learn everything at their own pace, after all it was just the two of them.