Work Text:
It’s raining slightly when Souda leaves the house, and he curses under his breath, lifting an arm to shield his eyes from the downpour. It’s not especially cold out, but his jumpsuit doesn’t have the best insulation, and he doesn’t have an umbrella or even a jacket on. His father’s still yelling inside, though, and he’s been counting on today to get him out of the house all week, so there’s no way he’s going back in. He calls a goodbye through the door, cringes at his father’s response, and then jogs down the driveway, pulling his old busted bike off the fence and swiping the collected water off the seat.
It’s a good thing he knows where he’s going. Souda kicks up the stopper and starts down the road, shaking his shoulders out a little as he starts to pedal. His phone is water proof-- what kind of mechanic would he be if he couldn’t figure out something that simple, right?-- but it’s still a pain to look at a map while water is dripping down the screen. Hmmm. Maybe he should work on making the screen water resistant, too? Ugh, but putting time and energy into anything that’ll take away from his rocket ship sounds like a pain in the ass, and Souda’s practicals are in a month. No thanks. He can worry about stuff like that later.
Really, Souda should have been expecting it to rain. It’s been raining all through the past week. He was kinda hoping that the one day where he’d have plans would be dry, though. Is that too much to ask? Sonia’s always talking about how the weather in her country is so much different than Japan. This is the second summer vacation they’ve had together as classmates, and Souda can still remember last year, when she stared wistfully up at the cloudy sky and mused that it would usually be dry back in the Novoselic this time of year.
Hehehe. Souda’s gonna get to see Sonia today. He does a gleeful little wiggle on his bike as he turns the corner, nearly crashes into a parked car, and forcefully rights himself, gripping the handlebars so tight that the rubber digs into his palms through the thin fabric of his gloves. Maybe he should save the clowning for when he’s not, like, actively riding a bicycle. That’s probably for the better.
...Still, though, he’s seeing Sonia. It’s something to be excited about. He’s only seen her a couple times since summer vacation started, every time the volunteer program they both signed up for has met up to do restoration projects at various places around the city. Like today, for example. Going also means he’s going to have to see Tanaka, which, man that guy is a weirdo, but hey, seeing Sonia is gonna make it all worth it.
Not even just for crush reasons, y’know? Souda finds it hard to articulate his actual feelings for Sonia nowadays. A year ago he would’ve said that she’s the girl he’s been waiting for all his life. But more and more nowadays he keeps getting this feeling like… he’s not been waiting for a girl, or even anybody, like… maybe he just wants him and Sonia to be friends? Either way, he likes her, and things have gotten easier for them ever since she told him to lay off and treat her like a person. Souda still feels pretty guilty about that, about having made her uncomfortable, it’s just… you know.
He rolls up to the park where they’re supposed to meet just a couple minutes after the start time, and calls that a success, kicking down the stopper with his heel. There’s already a fair group of volunteers milling about, but no Sonia. She tends to stick out in a crowd ‘cause of her blonde hair. Whatever, though. Souda slips off his bike and tugs down on his beanie, hooking his thumbs in the pocket of his jumpsuit and walking over to sign in. (You gotta make sure to sign in, or the hours you spend volunteering won’t count, and then Souda’s not gonna graduate, which would be kinda uncool.) She’ll probably be here soon, he just has to be patient! And like, not look like an overeager dog or whatever while he waits.
As Souda picks up the pen to scrawl down his name, he notices that Tanaka is already here, his name written large enough to take up three sign in boxes, and the names of his hamsters written more elegantly beside his own signature. Man, that guy’s so freaking extra. Souda scoffs under his breath, glancing at his watch and marking down the time, grabs a granola bar, and then heads over to pick out some materials. The work they do on these days is pretty straightforward, so Souda might as well get equipped while he waits for Sonia to show up. She’ll probably come over and join him and Tanaka when she gets here.
Speaking of Tanaka, as Souda strides over to fetch himself a shovel, the animal breeder is already bent over the bucket of gloves, holding up a pair with his nose wrinkled. For a minute, Souda’s not sure what the guy’s problem is, but these are all pretty rubbery, and like, uncomfortable. Tanaka’s kind of weird with textures. One time Kuzuryuu and Nidai got into an argument-- sort of, an argument, Souda doesn’t think Nidai was arguing, but Kuzuryuu sure was-- and ended up knocking over a pitcher of juice, and it had spilled on Tanaka, and Tanaka had been so upset that he had to go change right away.
Which… that’s fine. Souda doesn’t care. On either end, he doesn’t care about judging Tanaka and he doesn’t care about paying attention. He reaches down for a pair of gloves himself, and briefly meets Tanaka’s two-coloured eyes as he straightens up.
Tanaka averts his gaze first, and Souda looks down at the gloves in his hand, rubbing the back of his neck.
“Hey, uh…” Souda trails off for a moment. He hooks his thumb under his own gloves, pulling them off his hands. “You should still wear these, since they’re like, thicker and stuff, so they’ll actually keep your hands safe, but if you want like,” Souda gestures, “a barrier, or something, then you can wear these under.” He holds out his newly shed gloves, twitching his hands a little in the cold.
He doesn’t even know why he’s offering. It’s not like he and Tanaka are friends, or anything. But it’d be pretty dumb for Souda to wear two pairs of gloves if he doesn’t need it, right? Besides, Tanaka’s like, his classmate, and more importantly he’s Sonia’s friend, so like, whatever.
At his offer, Tanaka has lifted his gaze, brows raised inquisitively. After a moment, he does accept the offered gloves, and Souda realises that Tanaka’s hands are much larger than his, his fingers long and thin. Souda’s attention stays on Tanaka’s fingers for a moment longer than is perhaps wise, and then he averts it, his neck warming.
“Don’t, like, stretch them, or whatever,” he adds.
“Your sacrifice is noted, mortal,” Tanaka says, his low voice thoughtful. And like, okay, first of all, fuck you for having such a low voice. Souda scuffs his shoe against the ground. Wait until Souda gets on testosterone therapy. Then you’ll see. Then you’ll all see. Second of all, hello? Why is this guy such a fucking weirdo?
“Uh, I still dunno what that mortal stuff you’re always saying is all about, but if you’re not a mortal, then I’m definitely not one either!” Souda says, which, nevermind, actually, it looks like Souda is a fucking weirdo too. “Don’t you have cool titles for some of the people in our school? Why can’t I have one of those?”
Tanaka’s lip twitches, and he pulls one of Souda’s gloves over his hand, flexing his fingers and stretching the fabric. Souda only looks because he has an interest in what’s happening to his gloves. That’s all. When he swallows, it’s just because he’s like, worried about Tanaka giving them back to him all loose.
Seriously.
After he has put on both gloves, and then an outer pair, Tanaka stands, a smirk on his face. “Titles are earned, not given,” he says, and he picks up a pair of sheers before he walks away, one of his hamsters looking at Souda with beady little hamster eyes as he passes.
Fucker! Souda grumbles a little on his breath and pulls on his own new pair of gloves so hard that they snap against his wrist, bending down to pick up a shovel. That guy is such a pain in the ass, Souda doesn’t know how Sonia stands him. Asshole. Dickhead. Jerkface. Hehe. Souda should call him a jerkface. That’ll really get him, Tanaka will have no idea how to--
Oh, the program is starting. Souda turns his shovel around to hold it properly and jogs over to the group, coming up next to Tanaka to watch the demonstration. He glances around the circle of volunteers for Sonia, but the only blonde head he sees belongs to a man several inches shorter than she would be, and like, Souda’s pretty sure his hair is bleached. Which, respect, dude. Souda gives him that nod between guys with dyed hair before he goes back to looking. (Tanaka doesn’t get the nod. Fuck you, Tanaka.)
Man… it’s weird for Sonia not to be here by now. She’s usually early. Maybe she’s sick or something? Souda should text her, right? The rain’s only been coming down harder the longer that Souda’s been outside, but again, his phone is waterproof, and there’s a tarp over by the sign in sheet anyway, so he can hide under it if he really feels strongly about not getting wet. Just a casual question of where she’s at, if she’s okay. Something super cool and chill.
The lead volunteer shows them how to identify and remove an invasive plant, and then holds it up for them to look at the root. You’d think this was their first day here or something. Souda’s still shifting his weight a little as they talk, fidgeting with his gloves, but by the time they’re told to split off into groups, Sonia still hasn’t showed up.
Which… makes this kind of awkward, because Souda doesn’t know anyone here. Well, except Tanaka. And he and Tanaka usually work together anyway, but the thing is they usually have like, Sonia here? So it’s not awkward. But this is awkward, especially since Tanaka thinks that Souda hasn’t earned like, a title, or whatever. (Jerkface.)
Still, Souda looks over at him, scuffing one of his sneakers against the dirt. “So, uh… we should probably work together, right?”
Tanaka says nothing, merely glancing at Souda for a moment before he turns to start over towards a patch of bushes. Souda is stunned by the abruptness for a moment before he realises that he’s meant to follow, and then he huffs, jogging to catch up with Tanaka as they make their way across the park. Rude! You’d think Souda isn’t even here, or something. He wants to say as much, but speaking again when Tanaka hasn’t spoken would be super lame, right? So he just grumbles under his breath as they walk, and Tanaka doesn’t spare him a glance, setting up in front of a patch of pretty nasty looking bushes.
For the first several minutes, Souda glances over his shoulder to see if Sonia is coming, but eventually the rain is coming down so hard that the only real thing to do is focus on the work, if only so that he’s not freezing his ass off standing still. Tanaka is quiet, but he works in a way that’s… intuitive, Souda thinks, brushing plants to the side with an odd meticulousness and clipping them before moving out of the way for Souda to dig them out. It’s the same kind of repetitive work that relaxes him when he’s in his lab at Hope’s Peak, or working in his father’s garage. There’s something about straining your body that makes it easier for Souda to forget himself, the people around him. He can just… dig, and remove, and step back for Tanaka to take his turn, dumping plants on the tarp some of the other volunteers have set up.
They fall into a rhythm, which is weird. It’s not uncommon for them to work together at least reluctantly when Sonia is here, but it’s also never quiet when Sonia is here. Granted, most of the conversation comes from Sonia and Souda, since Tanaka’s never been particularly talkative, but she has this way of bringing him into the interaction that always feels so natural rather than forced, and whenever they do that it feels like a regular, fun outing with friends, even if Souda’s only friends with one of them.
Like this, though, it’s… different, and not in a bad way, which he thinks is almost weirder than the fact that it’s different to begin with. Sure, Tanaka’s a weirdo, but he’s conscientious, and he seems to understand what Souda needs without him having to ask. When he concentrates, his brow lowers slightly, and his hands are very still and purposeful where he moves the plants around, exposing a thick vein of stem to get at it with his clippers.
Before long, it’s time for a snack break, and Tanaka rises wordlessly, leaving his clippers closed on the ground. Following suit, Souda drops his shovel in the grass face down (so nobody will step on it) and crosses the park again, his sneakers squishing slightly in the mud.
The sensation is a little gross and it prompts Souda to glance over at Tanaka. He’s wearing rain boots. Of course that guy would come prepared for the weather. Souda would almost be resentful about it if he weren’t so cold. When they’re not moving around a bunch, it’s even easier to notice the chill in the air, and though it’s summer the rain is coming down in sheets, splattering mud against the bottom of his jumpsuit. His suit’s going to be fine, but Souda already feels soaked to the bone, and he’s only been out here for a couple hours.
There are too many volunteers huddling under the tarp for Souda to be able to find a comfortable spot, so when Tanaka leans himself against the side of one of those public grills they have for barbeques here, Souda follows suit, taking off his gloves and curling his fingers a few times to get his blood pumping before he pulls out that granola bar. It got crushed in his pocket, but hey, oats are oats.
As he munches on his snack, Souda glances over at Tanaka, who has also removed the gloves from one of his hands, and is holding a hamster in the palm of the other while he lightly scratches the top of its head. Souda smiles despite himself. That’s kinda cute. Souda’s always liked hamsters. His dad never let him get pets, but sometimes when he was little he’d go to the pet store on the block and stare at them through their glass cages.
Mmmm. It’s weird to stare, right? Souda pulls his gaze away and looks at the muddy ground, watching as more rain comes down, fiddling with the silver wrapper in his hands. Man, what a mess of a day. Sonia isn’t even here, and Souda’s getting seriously cold. It’d be super lame to say something about it, so he won’t, but still, man, that rain is not helping matters. He squints up at the sky, wondering if Tanaka would notice if he cursed out the clouds, and then--
Jumps a little, as he feels something soft and warm being draped over his shoulders. Souda turns, wide eyed, to look at Tanaka, whose attention has left his hamster. When Souda looks down, he sees that Tanaka has given him that magenta scarf he always wears, tucked it around his neck. Souda opens and closes his mouth, feeling a rush of warmth hit his face (probably because the scarf is warm, definitely, only for that reason) as he looks between Tanaka’s hands and the article.
It smells… like scented candles, probably like the stuff Tanaka uses for his weird fucking satanic rituals or whatever, but also faintly of… perfume? Does this dude wear perfume? For some reason Souda’s face goes even warmer at that, which is stupid, because he’s not gay, first of all, and second of all he doesn’t like Tanaka, but isn’t that, like, a little bit hot? Like a little. Like it’s at least slightly hot that Tanaka wears perfu--
“Have you no breath?” Tanaka asks, a brow raising.
Uhhhh. Okay. Processing that. Sonia’s not here to translate. “L-Listen,” Souda stammers, “I got a lot of shit to say, okay? I have a whole itemised list of things to say, I just-- I gotta like, number and order them and stuff-- why are you giving me your scarf?”
“You’re cold.”
“I’m not cold!” Souda protests, more on principle than anything, and immediately, as though God himself wants to contradict, a shiver runs through him. Fucker.
Tanaka chuckles, low in his chest, and that in itself is absurdly hot, and Souda groans.
“You’re a real motherfucker, you know that? Like, you’re seriously just a--” Shit, what was Souda going to call him earlier? That’s right! “Jerkface! You’re a jerkface.” Why did Souda from a couple hours ago think that was an own? Was he high? “So, uh, there, and gottem, and--”
Before Souda’s finished his epic style comeback, Tanaka places a hand on his head and walks past, over towards the tarp. “You may return it to me when our time is finished, Vulcan’s Blessed,” and as he leans over the snack pile, Souda realised that Tanaka called him something other than mortal, and his face turns a brilliant, vibrant red, his embarrassment so potent he could literally pass out, like, right here.
Fuck. Shit. Fuck. Balls. Piss. Damnit. Fuck. Fuuuuuck.
Souda is so fucking gay, isn’t he?