Chapter Text
I rolled over yet again and sighed. I give up. I slid out of my sleeping bag with the slightest rustle and held my breath, watching Nekomaru. He didn't move a muscle. His snoring is louder than my sleeping bag, anyway. I straightened up, looking around to see if anyone else was awake. Both Hajime and Fuyuhiko had their pillows wrapped around their heads. I glanced back at Nekomaru again. Yeah, that's fair.
I carefully picked my way between my sleeping classmates towards the restroom. On the way back, I started to pass the room (Y/N) was staying in, but paused. They had somehow managed to keep their gender a total secret, so they stayed separate from the boys AND the girls. I wonder…
I held my breath again as I stepped into their room. It was almost entirely empty aside from their sleeping bag. They were sleeping on their right side, their back facing the wall. They slept in a tank top much like the one they wore on a regular basis. I bent down and ran my hand along their jaw. Completely smooth. Well, I guess that could still mean they just haven't grown a beard, or that they shave. There's a better way to decide this. Feeling a bit guilty, I tried to lift the top of the sleeping bag, but (Y/N) had a vice grip on it. They let out a small noise of annoyance when I pulled, so I let go. They settled back down, and I reached out to touch their face again. I couldn't help it, their skin was so soft. A-and of course I'm still just trying to figure out their gender! I trailed my fingers along their jawline again, and they stirred, murmuring something. I leaned closer, my hand frozen in place. My hair flopped from behind my ear and I inhaled sharply as it landed on their face. Their cheek twitched. "Kaz...uichi…?" My heart stopped and I froze, my fingers resting on their jaw. Shit, I did wake them after all!
"(Y-Y/N)?!"
"Kazuichi…?" They stirred, their (E/C) eyes slowly cracking open. I jumped back, hoping they wouldn't realize how close I just was.
"O-oh, hey (Y/N). I was just on my way back from the bathroom." Not completely a lie, right?
They blinked and furrowed their brow. "Wait, Kaz?"
"Y-yeah, didn't you know?"
They slowly shook their head. "How could I? I was asleep."
"But you said--" I cut myself off. Were they...saying my name in their sleep?
"What did I say?"
They recovered faster than I expected. "W-well, it sorta sounded like...my name."
Their eyes widened and their cheeks tinted. "Ah, are you...sure?"
"I-I guess I could be wrong. In fact, I probably am." I started to back towards the door, but (Y/N) caught my raised arms by the wrists.
They pulled me onto the floor beside them firmly, but then let go as a flash of hesitation crossed their face. "Sorry, I didn't mean to get so aggressive."
"It's all right, but...why?"
They extracted themself from the sleeping bag and sat on top of it. I found myself staring at their chest, trying not to make it obvious. Damn, the tank top is too high up and too loose to tell!
"Well, uh," they fidgeted with their fingers for a moment before looking up and making eye contact. "I think you did hear me say your name."
"W-w-wait, I thought you said you were asleep--!"
"I was! But, Kazuichi," they leaned in, and at this close of a distance I could tell they had a neutral, pleasant scent, neither masculine nor feminine. It's intoxicating...no! It's frustrating! Which are they--?!
"I've been dreaming about you."
I was so caught up in their scent that what they said didn't immediately register. "H-hold on, you've been...dreaming about me?!"
"Yeah. I'm...sorry if that makes you uncomfortable. It's not on purpose, necessarily, but…" They suddenly laughed. "Y'know, you'd expect someone whose talent is literally language to be better with words than this." They shook their head quickly and gently took my hands. "Kazuichi, I've been crushing on you for ages. I feel like...it's high time I told you."
I sat for a moment, stunned into silence. The question of their gender started to float up again, but was overwhelmed almost immediately when what they said sunk in. "(Y/N), you…"
"It's all right if you don't feel the same way. I just...wanted to let you know." They turned to get back into their sleeping bag. "I don't know why exactly you came in here, but if that's at all related, then...well, do with that what you wish. I won't push you."