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The gears click as Suguru walks his bike out of the dingy little student shed and down the drive. Satoru waits at the steps, sitting back with his arms crossed. When he sees the bike, he frowns.
“Do you really trust that thing?” Satoru says, gesturing at the bike. “It looks like it could fall apart any minute.”
Suguru shrugs. “I’ve had this thing since I was like, ten,” he explains.
“And you still ride it?”
“It still works, why would I need another one?”
Frown lines wrinkle Satoru’s forehead. “Uhm….”
“Shut up and just get on, you ass,” Suguru demands, swinging his leg over the seat. “It’ll last us to Tokyo, at least.”
“That’s even more alarming,” Satoru mumbles, but he sits himself behind Suguru, wrapping his arms tight around his waist.
It’s hot as hell in June, and biking up an incline with a man nearing two meters plastered along your back doesn’t really help.
“Satoru, let up, would you?” Suguru groans, twisting his center a little. That only makes Satoru tighten his hold. “Geez, you really don’t trust me.”
“I don’t trust your shitty bike,” Satoru grits out. Suguru snorts, reaching one hand down to lay it over Satoru’s, before he yelps, “Get your hand back on the wheel!”
“Okay, bossy.”
They find a truck with shaved ice in the city, and Suguru buys each of them a cone. Satoru found them a bench to sit on, but took his job of watch my bike very seriously, as he sits on the top, wheeling it back and forth with his feet.
Suguru plops himself down on the bench, handing Satoru his cone, and as soon as he has it he’s shoveling it in his mouth, the red-pink color of strawberry syrup staining his lips. Suguru watches him for a moment, in awe or disgust, he’s not sure, before he scoops a bite of his own ice. It’s nice on a hot day like today, and some of it has already melted to the bottom of the plastic cone.
“You have it all over your face,” Suguru says with a laugh, holding up a napkin.
“Says you, your lips are all blue,” Satoru snips back, but he rolls the wheels forward between Suguru’s thighs, letting him wipe away the sticky syrup from his cheek. “That’s why I always get strawberry, it’s built in beauty.”
“You’re actually the stupidest person I know.”
“I doubt that.”
“You’d be surprised.”
“Rude,” Satoru pouts. “You love me, though.”
Suguru shrugs, and the horrified look on Satoru’s face makes him laugh. “Oh, stop it, you know I do.”
Satoru leans forward. “Can I have a kiss, then?” He puckers his lips obnoxiously, getting in Suguru’s face.
Suguru shoves him away. “You know not here.” PDA makes Suguru nervous, especially in the city. On campus, he couldn’t care less, but here, surrounded by people he doesn’t know….
“Boo,” Satoru says, sitting back up. He’s always trying to test the limits with Suguru, but fails every time. Suguru would never tell him, but it’s cute.
Satoru continues to pout, rolling himself back and forth on the bike. With one hand, he reaches up on the handle bars, squeezing the break. “What do these do?”
Suguru smirks at the question. “Those are the breaks. What, you’ve never ridden a bike before?” The question is just to tease, and Suguru isn’t expecting Satoru to actually shake his head. “Wait, really?”
Satoru shrugs. “I had no reason to learn, I guess.”
God, he knew Satoru was sheltered, but still—never rode a bike? Suguru opens his mouth to tease him more, say something about all the things Satoru’s probably missed, but he stops himself. He can’t see Satoru’s eyes, but there’s a genuine sad written on his face, almost wistful as he rocks himself on the bike, back and forth.
“Do you want to learn?” Suguru asks, and Satoru’s head shoots up. That sounds like a yes.
“I can?”
Suguru smiles again. “Of course you can. It’s not like it’s rocket science.” Finishing the rest of his ice, he throws it out and ushers Satoru out of the driver's seat. “There’s a park around here, we can go there.”
Satoru sits himself behind Suguru again, and Suguru pushes off the ground before he can get his death grip on again.
“Most people start off with training wheels, but you’re a big boy, so I’m sure you can handle without.”
Satoru sticks his pink tongue out at Suguru for that, swinging his long legs over the seat. They had to raise it because Satoru was too tall, much to Satoru’s amusement.
The park is relatively full, kids playing basketball on the courts and football on the fields. There are a few people on the track, but it’s relatively empty, perfect for what they’re doing.
“Put your feet on the petals,” Suguru instructs, and Satoru follows. The bike sways, and Satoru immediately swings his feet back down, clutching the handlebars with white knuckles. Suguru chuckles. “Don’t worry, I’ve got it,” he ensures, holding the bike steady, and when Satoru goes again, it stays.
“How am I supposed to ride it if it doesn’t say steady?” Satoru asks.
“Physics, love,” Suguru says. “You have long legs, and you probably won’t be going too fast, so if you wanna stop, just put your feet down, okay?”
“Mmhm.”
“Come over here,” Suguru walks the bike over to lane one, closest to the grassy field. “If you fall, fall that way.”
“You’re making me nervous,” Satoru says, looking over at Suguru. They’re the same height like this, Satoru’s even a little taller with the bike, but he still looks like a little kid, looking for advice and validation. God, is it cute.
“It’s normal to fall, especially your first time. Don’t expect to ace it.” Satoru, being the greatest at everything he’s ever done, probably doesn’t want to hear that.
“Yeah, okay,” Satoru mumbles. As expected, not taking that advice very well. Oh well, he has to learn.
“Okay, you’re going to put your feet up and start pedaling,” Suguru instructs. “I’ll hold the bike steady, so don’t go too fast.”
“Okay,” Satoru says, and he brings his feet up.
He’s pretty wobbly as he starts pedaling, and Suguru half-jogs beside him, holding the bike. He starts to pick up speed a bit, so Suguru asks, “Do you want me to let go?”
The reaction is immediate and terrified, “No!” Suguru laughs.
“Okay, so slow down and put your feet down.”
Satoru takes his feet off the pedals and lets them drag on the ground. “That was pretty good,” Suguru says, and Satoru looks up at him. His sunglasses have fallen to the tip of his nose, revealing his bright eyes, staring at Suguru with such intensity, practically sparkling in awe.
“Was it?”
Oh, god, Suguru wants to kiss him. “Yeah, it was. Did you like it?”
Satoru looks down at the handlebars, squeezing the break experimentally. “Yeah, I did,” he admits, and looks back up at Suguru, puppy-eyed. “Can we do it again?”
A little bang in Suguru’s chest. “Yeah, of course we can.”
So they start up again, Satoru pushing slowly as Suguru walks beside him. He’s steadier this time, staring down at the handle bars. “Keep your eyes up,” Suguru instructs. “Look where you want to go.”
That advice seems to work. Satoru looks down from time to time, but besides that, he’s picking up speed on his own. “I’m gonna let go.”
“Wait, no,” Satoru says, eyes widening.
“Yeah, I am,” Suguru says, and he does. Satoru continues pedaling, surprising Suguru. A warm feeling builds in Suguru’s stomach, and he can feel a smile crawling along his face.
Of course, not used to balancing himself, Satoru begins to wobble, and, just as Suguru told him, falls into the field. Immediately, Suguru’s taking off after him.
He doesn’t even bother with the bike, he goes straight for Satoru, clambering into him, grabbing his face, and pressing a kiss right to his lips. When he pulls away, Satoru’s pushing at his shoulders, but Suguru doesn’t budge, pressing loud, wet kisses across Satoru’s face.
“Stop it!” Satoru yells, obviously frustrated, but Suguru doesn’t stop, and Satoru’s shriek sounds more playful when Suguru blows a loud raspberry into his jaw.
Suguru finally pulls back, sitting on his heels and Satoru’s thighs. Satoru’s sunglasses are astray, hanging half off his beet red face, and Suguru adjusts them for him.
“What was that about?” Satoru demands, shoving Suguru off of him. He falls into the grass, but Suguru links his arms around his neck, dragging Satoru with him.
“You’re adorable,” Suguru says, pressing another kiss on the top of Satoru’s head. “You did so well. I’m proud of you.” Satoru is about the color of his snowcone from before, hiding his face in his hands. “What?” Suguru asks. “You’re always begging me to kiss you in public, but when I do, you’re embarrassed?”
“I fell,” Satoru says after a moment, and Suguru shakes his head.
“I told you, that’s normal. You went so much farther than I thought you would.”
Satoru shoves him again. “And you let go, you bastard!”
Suguru rolls his eyes. “Was it fun?”
Satoru’s hands fall to his lap, and he tilts his head just a bit. “…yeah.”
Suguru can’t help his smile. “Good, then.”
Satoru shifts to get up, then hisses. He straightens out his leg, revealing his scraped-up knee.
“Aw, do you need Shouko?”
Satoru smacks Suguru’s shoulder. “Shut up!”
Suguru grabs Satoru’s calf and brings his leg up so he can plant a kiss to the raised skin. He expects Satoru to get pissy again, but when he looks up at him, he’s got this dopey smile spread across his face. Suguru smiles back.
“C’mon, soldier,” Suguru says, brushing the grass off his shorts, and holding out hands for Satoru to grab. “Let’s get you home.”
It’s a couple days later when Suguru steps outside to see Satoru seated on a bike. It’s not Suguru’s bike, though; it looks brand new, with nice, full tires and shiny metal.
“What’s this?” Suguru asks, grabbing the handlebars across from Satoru.
Satoru shrugs, clearing going for nonchalant. “I figured if you’re gonna teach me how to ride a bike, it should be on one that doesn’t look like it’s about to fall apart.”
It’s so stupid, Suguru wants to batter him with words about his filthy richness. Instead, he doesn’t stop himself from leaning in for a kiss.
How ridiculous.
How Satoru.