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Tooru is rudely awakened by Hajime slapping his stomach lightly.
"What?" he asks groggily, not really awake yet. The sun’s hot above them, he'd already swum and now all Tooru wants is to sleep under the sunlight.
"Remember how I told you there's a hot guy who comes for a swim every day at noon?"
"Ohhh," Tooru makes sure to elongate the sound and finally deems to sit up.
"Don't be too obvious."
Tooru refuses to even reply to that. He starts scanning the sea line. There are children inside, some small groups of people, but just one sole person that Tooru can see swimming regularly, though from this distance he can't tell any of his features apart.
Hajime doesn't say anything next to him. Tooru is curious; it's not like people don't catch Hajime's eye, but it's rare that he gets this interested. Enough to want to share it with Tooru, anyway.
Eventually, the guy slowly gets up from the water, which drips down from his very sculpted chest. Tooru can't help but to gasp; the man is not only clearly taller than him but even more muscled than Hajime. And he has tattoos.
"What the hell?" Tooru whispers. He's seen his fair share of beautiful people, but the man in front of him is… something else.
"Nothing familiar about him?"
Tooru snaps his head to look at Hajime, but only for a few seconds - he doesn't want to miss anything happening in front of him.
The guy is now drying himself with a towel, mechanically, and apparently unaware of all the ogling being done to him (and not just by Tooru, thank you very much).
"Have I met him before? No," Tooru answers his own question without giving Hajime time. "Impossible, I never would have forgotten… that," he signs a circle with his hand, encompassing everything that the stranger is.
Hajime just snorts.
Tooru tries to look beyond the flower sleeve, the couple tattoos in his chest, the unfairly tight shorts… Right, focus.
Asian, brown hair that's sticking up from the drying, shaved cheeks… maybe piercings. Tooru can't tell from this far away. There's no way he'd forget someone like that.
Hajime hadn't mentioned sleeping with him, but maybe he has, and sent a video? With the guy's knowledge, of course. They're in an open relationship, which sometimes not everyone understands, but they only sleep and/or date people who are okay with that.
But no, Tooru definitely wouldn't have forgotten him.
The guy folds the towel and puts it inside a backpack, taking out a T-shirt and putting it on. You know a guy is hot when even putting clothes on and not off is sexy.
The guy starts walking. He sees the two of them and almost stops, but then he waves, Hajime waves back, and he's walking towards him.
"Hajime, please don't tell me he's some guy I was mean to in middle school and he hates me now and I'm going to have to grovel for his forgiveness. Not that I'd mind getting on my knees for-"
"It's so much better than that," Hajime cuts him off and Tooru turns to him.
Hajime doesn't have his face turned to him but Tooru knows him too well. Even with half his features hidden, it's quite clear that Hajime is… enjoying this. Whoever the man is, Hajime seems sure he's going to provoke some type of reaction in Tooru.
"Iwaizumi," the guy is still a couple feet away when he speaks and Tooru almost whimpers because that voice is just… low and kind of throaty and Tooru might have to consider going back to Argentina if this is what awaits him everyday if he stays in California. And yes, those are definitely piercings; one above his right eyebrow, and a septum one, the type of piercing that Tooru finds really cool but doesn’t think would fit him. In the guy, it looks just perfect.
"Wakatoshi," Hajime sounds warm and… wait. No, that's not possible. "What have I told you? You can just call me Hajime."
"I'll try to remember that," the guy - Wakatoshi - says and Tooru does finally notice that his voice does sound strangely familiar. But in that way that actors’ do. It's not really someone that's part of your day to day, yet you've heard it enough for it not to be completely strange.
"Guess who's come to visit," Hajime says and he slaps Tooru on the back - not with too much strength.
"Oikawa. Nice to see you again," Wakatoshi - Ushijima Wakatoshi - says and Tooru… meeps. It's this weird sound that he's never heard come out of his own mouth, but he's helpless to stop it from happening.
"Sorry," Hajime is saying, sounding very much not sorry at all, "I wanted it to be a surprise, didn't tell him you'd be here."
"I hope I have not upset you," Ushiwaka says and contrary to Hajime, he does sound honest.
Tooru turns to Hajime, who has a raised eyebrow and a small smile that screams trouble (Tooru loves this smile, okay? This smile is a recurring memory of his, but right now this smile means nothing good for him).
"No," Tooru finally forces out, turning back to Ushiwaka. "You haven't upset me."
"I'm glad. I'm sure you're surprised to see me here."
Surprised is an understatement.
Tooru hasn't seen Ushiwaka since last year of highschool. He never found out the details, but Ushiwaka never played that final competition because of an injury. Tooru had expected to hear about him the next year, when it was healed. But apparently it had never gotten better and Ushiwaka had never become a professional volleyball player.
And now he's here. In California. With tattoos.
"Yeah," Tooru says, because clearly Hajime is not going to help in the least. "I didn't know you lived here now."
"I moved here after high school. My father lives here."
"His father is Utsui Takashi." Hajime finally decides to participate in the conversation. "I saw Wakatoshi there for the first time a couple months ago."
A couple months?? Tooru glares at him; they will be having words about this. Hajime just shrugs back.
"So what do you do now?" Tooru asks, turning back to Ushiwaka. He doesn't really know if he's supposed to ask questions, or ignore him or… it's not like he's forgotten how much animosity he had for him over the years, but he's here, in California, with his boyfriend, and… well, out of the two of them, Tooru is the one who plays volleyball professionally. It's not like he's happy that Ushiwaka can't play anymore, but there isn't really a point in wanting to beat him anymore, is there?
Tooru hasn't thought of Ushiwaka in years, and now that he's face to face with this version of him, older (and so, so attractive), all he feels is curiosity. Interest, maybe.
"I just started tattooing."
"I'm sorry, what?" Tooru must have misheard him.
"I went to art school after I moved here and after, I did an apprenticeship in tattooing. I finished about six months ago. Now I work there," Ushiwaka points to somewhere behind them and Tooru turns back to try and find his workplace.
And sure enough, on the street right behind them there's a building with TATTOOS painted on the outside.
"Oh," Tooru does not know what the hell to say. He turns back to Ushiwaka, "have you done any on yourself?" Ok, maybe that's not what he was supposed to ask, but he's curious.
"Yes," Ushiwaka says and then he raises the hem of the shorts on his right leg and about halfway up there, there's a… an alien. It's done in all black, there's three arms going up, at least six eyes…
Tooru once again snaps his head to Hajime, who's biting his lip not to laugh.
"I have improved since then," Ushiwaka says, earnest, and Tooru turns back to him.
"I'm sure," Tooru replies, knowing the words come out sounding kind of forced, but he doesn't really know how to act.
"Well, I should be off. I still have to eat before my afternoon appointments."
Appointments. Tattoo appointments. Because Ushiwaka is a tattooist.
"Can we watch?" Tooru blurts out. He can feel Hajime's eyes on him, just as he sees Ushiwaka's widen the slightest amount. "The tattoos," he continues, as if there was any doubt on what he meant.
"One of the people today is a regular at the studio. I don't think he'll mind, but I have to ask. I will text Iwaizumi with the answer."
"Hajime," Hajime says, still in that fond tone. Truth be told, Tooru gets it. He's feeling strangely… charmed, by Ushiwaka.
"Hajime." Tooru wonders if Hajime's insistence on Ushiwaka using his name has more to do with wanting to hear him say it than a simple "fair's fair" .
Tooru turns to Hajime and gets to see his cheeks reddening from something other than the sun. Oh, he is very gone.
"I hope you have a nice time in California," Ushiwaka says, bringing Tooru's attention back to him.
"I'm sure I will," Tooru smiles at him.
Ushiwaka nods and then finally walks away. Both Tooru and Hajime turn to watch him. There are more tattoos on the back of his legs. On his right calf there's someone jumping, ball just off their palm. Spiking.
Torou turns to Hajime.
"What the fuck," the words somehow don't come up in a high pitch. And oh no, that reminds Tooru of how he embarrassed himself with that freaking meep. He hides his head between his knees.
"There, there," Hajime says, patting his back.
"Don't you there, there me!" Tooru straightens up. "What the hell!" He slaps Hajime on the shoulder, hard enough he leaves a red mark, but not so much to actually hurt. "How could you not have told me that Ushiwaka lives here and is… is…"
"Hot? Tattooed? Fucking nice?" Hajime groans and then drops down so that he's laying on the towel. Tooru follows him down, turns on his side, head on his palm, elbow bent.
"You like him, don't you?"
Hajime's eyes are wide. "How could I not?" Tooru remains quiet. Hajime groans, rubs his face with his hands, then turns back to Tooru. "He's just… not what I expected at all. He's… really fucking nice."
"And attractive."
"Illegally attractive," Hajime says and they share a smile. "I kissed him about two weeks ago."
Tooru raises his eyebrows.
"He already knew you and I were together and that it was open but he was… he said you'd never liked him and that he doubted you'd appreciate me kissing him. That he didn't want to cause problems between us."
"What the hell," Tooru says - again.
"Right?" Hajime still has that deer caught in headlights look. "I'm a weak man, Tooru."
Tooru barks a laugh. "You're really not," he says, still laughing.
Hajime smiles at him. Then he takes a deep breath, "but I've been thinking and… I think it could work. The three of us, that is."
Tooru blinks. He moves so that he's lying on his back, front turned to the sky.
Hajime lets him think in silence.
"We've never done that," Tooru says and even though it's hard, he turns to Hajime, who smiles, and then takes a hold of his hand, kisses his knuckles before entwining their fingers.
The maximum they've done with a third person has been through photos or texts. Whenever the two of them are together, they get too caught up in one another to go look for someone else, even though they've talked about it. And Hajime is talking about more than sex, Tooru knows. Because he genuinely likes Ushiwaka.
"He's here," Tooru forces the words out. "All the time. And I'm not."
"I would never replace you."
Tooru makes a forced amused sound, "as if you could."
"I'm not going to be upset if you say no, I promise. Or if you say yes now and later no."
Tooru looks him in the eyes for a few moments before saying, "how about I get to know him better first?"
Hajime snorts, "you sure you can handle a whole conversation without drooling?"
Tooru raises his free hand to hit Hajime in the arm, who laughs. He squeezes Hajime's other hand.
.
The guy who is being tattooed - Mark - says yes. So after a quick lunch of hamburgers, Tooru and Hajime make their way to the studio.
"Have you watched him tattoo anyone before?"
"No. Well, except on Instagram."
Tooru turns widened eyes to him. Hajime laughs, "I'll send you the handle after."
They walk in silence for a few more seconds. "Have you thought of getting a tattoo?"
Hajime makes a humming sound. He does that to show that he heard and he's thinking of the answer.
"I don't know. I don't know if there's anything that means so much I want on my skin forever."
"Do you think the alien has meaning to Ushiwaka?"
Hajime laughs, "Tendou gave him the idea. Wakatoshi told him he wanted to tattoo himself and about five minutes later Tendou sent that drawing, which he did himself."
It's Tooru's turn to laugh. He can't help but to sound kind of disbelieving. The Ushiwaka he remembers didn't seem like someone who'd get such a random tattoo.
"I think it's nice. Your body tells a story. Even the things that maybe don't matter one day, they did once. And you can remember that."
"For better or worse."
Tooru wonders if Hajime is thinking of the tattoo of the volleyball player that Ushiwaka has as well.
"I'll think about it," Tooru says, "if Ushiwaka is actually good at his job."
They walk the rest of the way in comfortable silence.
"Hi, can I help you?" A woman, about a few years older than them, asks in English as they walk in.
"We're Wakatoshi's friends," Hajime answers.
"Oh, right, he told me about you. Go to the back, then left. He's just started."
"Thanks."
They follow the directions, the buzzing of the needle easily heard, as well as a guy - not Ushiwaka - speaking in English.
Tooru and Hajime stop at the entrance to the room. Wakatoshi has his back to them; he's sitting on a stool, tattooing the inside of a blond man's - Mark, Tooru assumes - right calf.
"Oh hey, you're Toshi's friends, right?"
"I'm Hajime, this is Tooru. Thanks for letting us watch."
"No problem, man. Toshi's a natural."
"Compliments won't get you a discount." The English comes out different from the Japanese. Less accented than Hajime's.
"I should get a discount for being here all the time."
"If you were buying art, perhaps. But you'll run out of body space eventually, so it's better business to give you a full price every time."
"Can you believe this guy? And I was the first person he tattooed!"
"Really?" Toouru speaks for the first time since coming into the studio.
Mark raises his T-shirt and just beside his left hip bone is a simple flower plant. Even from away, it's clear that the lines aren't the same all around, a bit thinner or larger in random places.
"He's gotten much better now."
Tooru moves so that he can see what the new tattoo is. It's an elephant on his hind legs. If this weren't a stranger, Tooru would ask if it has any special meaning.
"You guys thinking of getting something?"
"Not me. Tooru, maybe." Tooru doesn't miss the way Ushiwaka turns his head just a bit at that.
"Nothing certain. I'm not exactly fond of pain."
"It's not as bad as people say. There're are definitely easier places than others, but it's not torture."
"Where you're getting the elephant. Doesn't that hurt?"
"It's fine," Mark shrugs, genuinely does look like he's not in so much pain.
"I'll think about it."
"I will give you a discount," Ushiwaka says, still in English.
"I see how it is, playing favourites," Mark says, fake wounded tone. Ushiwaka doesn't refute his words.
Tooru and Hajime stay until the end of the session, eventually hearing about how Mark’s from Nebraska ("didn't the accent give it away?" Honestly, no) and that this is his third tattoo with Ushiwaka.
The elephant looks really good. Nothing like the flower plant, or Ushiwaka's alien. Tooru almost wants to say to hell with it and book something right there, but he controls himself. Definitely not a decision to take light heartedly.
"Do you want to go for dinner, Wakatoshi?" Hajime asks once it's just the three of them, back to Japanese
"I wouldn't want to impose."
"You're not," Tooru says and Wakatoshi blinks. Tooru wonders if he has any idea of what's going on. Eventually, he nods.
"Do you have a preference, Oikawa?"
"Mexican. And you can call me Tooru," if he's actually giving this a chance, then he's going all out.
Ushiwaka takes a couple seconds to reply. "I know a place. And you can call me Wakatoshi. Or Toshi; it's what everyone around here uses."
Toshi. Tooru doesn't know if he's ready for that.
"I have another session in twenty minutes. It should last an hour."
"We'll be back then," Hajime promises and grabbing Tooru's hand, he leads the way out. Tooru doesn't miss the way Ushi- - Wakatoshi 's - eyes turn down to follow the gesture.
.
The restaurant Wakatoshi chooses does turn out to be good. Tooru immediately starts speaking in Spanish and then, so does Wakatoshi.
"There are a lot of Spanish speakers in California," Wakatoshi explains. Tooru is still stuck in the way the words sounded coming out of his mouth to fully follow the conversation.
"You two just better not start insulting me in a language I don't understand," Hajime says.
"I don't think that will be a problem," Wakatoshi's words make Hajime blush. "Do you enjoy living in Argentina, Oikawa?"
"Tooru. And yes. Though I do miss home."
Wakatoshi nods and, a bit afraid he's stepping over the mark (but when has that ever stopped him?), Tooru asks, "do you ever think of going back?"
Wakatoshi twirls the bamboo straw in his mocktail - he has a simple silver band on his thumb that is very distracting. "I don't know. When I left, I was… hurt. I didn't talk to my friends for some time either. They reminded me of what I couldn't have anymore."
"I'm sorry," Tooru says. Sorry that happened, sorry he asked.
"Thank you. I still… wish that things could have been different, but I have tried to make a new life. And luckily, my friends understood and forgave my lack of contact."
"Good."
"I would like to do more guest spots. Tattoo in other studios," Wakatoshi explains to Tooru's confused look.
"You should come to Argentina," Tooru immediately says.
"It looks like a beautiful country," is the reply, which isn't a yes, but not a no either. Maybe Wakatoshi thinks Tooru is just being nice.
Before Tooru can decide how to show that he really does mean it, that Wakatoshi should go to Argentina, Hajime changes the subject. They talk about a new ramen place that's opened, that Wakatoshi has been but not Hajime. And then they move on to movies, music, books.
It's easy conversation. And fun. Out of the three of them, Wakatoshi talks the least, but he still does it. He talks about drawing since he was a kid, but deciding he preferred volleyball, but how he'd gotten back to it after the knee injury.
Tooru talks about working with José Blanco, his childhood (and more) idol and Hajime about going back to Japan after he finally finishes his internship with Utsui-sama.
"I have seen you play. I think it's only a matter of time before the national team is calling you."
"Oh," Tooru's surprised. "I'm actually thinking of getting Argentinian citizenship."
"You'd prefer to play with them?" Wakatoshi doesn't sound judgmental, just curious.
Tooru shrugs, "it's my home now."
"I see," Wakatoshi pauses before continuing, "isn't it hard? For you two, to be so far away from each other."
Tooru's eyes widen, and he turns to Hajime. It's not it's the first time he's heard that - not Hajime's either, he's sure - but for some reason he hadn't been expecting it from Wakatoshi.
"It is," it's Hajime who answers, face turned towards Wakatoshi. "It was harder in the beginning, I think," he turns to Tooru, who nods. Hajime swallows, looks back at Wakatoshi. "Especially when we didn't really know our boundaries. What we wanted or didn't."
"You didn't always have an open relationship?"
"During highschool we weren't really in a relationship. It was…" Hajime pauses and Tooru takes it from there.
"I was dumb. And afraid. I didn't want real commitment. So I dated girls who eventually broke up with me when they realized volleyball was always going to be more important. But Hajime was…" Tooru looks down at the table, can't really handle looking at either of them. "He was my rock. It was only right before I left for Argentina that I realized I wasn't being fair and that someone was going to show Hajime exactly how great he was if I wasn't honest."
Tooru raises his face to Wakatoshi, smiles. But he concludes by looking Hajime in the eyes, "so I told him I loved him in the airport. And he said-"
"Idiot. Couldn't you have done it in the car so I could kiss you?" Hajime is blushing, but smiling too.
"I still kissed him, of course. What if I died on the plane?"
"Don't say stuff like that!" Hajime slaps his arm.
"It's true! You never know when you're going to die. Or life is going to change unexpectedly."
Wakatoshi gives a little laugh at that and Tooru turns to him with widened eyes.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"
"It's fine. I wasn't laughing because of that." Wakatoshi raises his right arm and turns it so that they can see the inside. There, in the middle of dark red roses is written carpe diem. Seize the day.
Tooru laughs. He can’t help but to continue to look at the flowers. Most have spashles of colors, but there’s some in just black. More text as well. The haiku “The light of a candle/Is transferred to another candle-/Spring twilight” that Tooru thinks he might have once studied in high school.
"Did you mean it? Wanting a tattoo?" Wakatoshi’s voice brings him back to the moment.
"I don't know. Maybe. What was your first?"
Wakatoshi points at the Sakura tree starting a few inches above his wrist.
"To remind me of home."
Tooru bites the inside of his cheek to not let out a really embarrassing sound. This is absolutely unfair. Wakatoshi should not be this endearing.
"I'm happy for you two," Wakatoshi changes the subject.
"Thanks," Hajime replies and Tooru wonders if this is the time to say, "we think we could make you happy too. And you us." He keeps quiet instead, turning to Hajime.
Hajime understands what he means right away, smiles and drops his hand to squeeze Tooru's thigh.
"Did you get it before or after you started tattooing?"
"Before. I had arrived just two months before. The basics of the drawing is mine, though. The artist personalised it. She did most of my flowers."
"They look really good."
"Yes, she's one of the best. I did my apprenticeship with a friend of hers."
The conversation about how you can become a professional tattoo artist lasts them until the end of dinner where, of course, no one agrees with who should pay. Hajime is the first one to grab the bill but Tooru is quick to put his foot down; out of the two of them, Tooru is clearly better paid.
But Wakatoshi is the one who leans forward and steals the bill right out of Hajime's hold.
"I'll pay."
"No, you don't have to-"
"I want to," Wakatoshi's tone brooks no arguments. He gets up to pay before they can say anything else.
Tooru and Hajime turn to each other.
"Fuck," Hajime says and Tooru giggles. Fucking giggles. "You're sure about this? You're not just doing it because it's what you think I want?"
"I'm not just doing it for you," Tooru seriously answers. "I think you're right. He could fit with us."
"Should we give it more time?"
"Seize the day, Hajime."
"You better not get that fucking tattooed."
Tooru laughs but before he can reply, Wakatoshi is back.
"I want crepes with ice cream. Or waffles," Tooru says once they're outside.
"I think there's a place nearby," Hajime starts looking around them, trying to place where they are.
"I will leave you to it, then."
"You don't want ice cream?" Tooru asks before thinking too hard on it. There's a disappointed tilt in his voice.
Wakatoshi blinks, "do you… want me to come?"
"Only if you do," Tooru says at the same time Hajime answers, "we do."
They look at each other. "Only if you want to," Hajime says at the same time Tooru says, "we'd love for you to come."
Their lips twitch at that. Tooru wants to kiss Hajime but without talking to Wakatoshi first, that doesn't sound like the best idea.
Hajime takes a hold of his hand, squeezes once. The wish is mutual.
They turn back to Wakatoshi. He's looking at the two of them, hands in his pockets. Wakatoshi doesn’t look hurt by what he’s seeing; all Tooru can see is fondness. He wonders if there’s something more, something that shows interest in them. From Hajime's story about their kiss, Tooru knows the first move will have to come from them.
"Let's have ice cream," he says, voice low. Hajime moves his hand to interlace their fingers.
Wakatoshi nods and starts leading; hopefully he knows where he's going.
"And I'm paying this time. I'm the professional volleyball player here," that gets a look from Hajime but Tooru knows what he's doing. If Wakatoshi has any sort of negative feelings about what he does, this is never going to work.
But Wakatoshi just nods, "I promise not to pay this time."
They walk in silence. The place Wakatoshi leads them to is really nice, with tables outside and lights hanging above them.
Tooru wants to make a joke. Something like "I would have been jealous if you brought Hajime here without me" or even "do you bring all your dates here?" , but now that he and Hajime have decided they are doing this, Tooru is nervous. He doesn't want to do anything to jeopardize what they could have, not because of some stupid joke.
So he just keeps quiet, follows Wakatoshi and Hajime inside, is the last to order to make sure he's the one paying.
He also gets a strawberry milkshake with three straws.
They sit down outside, waiting for the food. Tooru is the first to take a sip, then moves the glass closer to Hajime. After his own sip, using a different straw, Hajime gives Wakatoshi the milkshake.
"Thank you," Wakatoshi says as he drinks. He passes it back to Tooru.
"Hajime told me you two kissed," Tooru blurts out. Hajime immediately kicks his chin, but Tooru pays it no mind.
Wakatoshi blinks. "We did."
"Hajime told me what you said after. About me having problems with you two kissing. I don't," Tooru swallows, "well, besides being a bit jealous."
"I would never do anything to jeopardize-"
"Of him," Tooru cuts him off. Wakatoshi closes his mouth with an audible clack. "That he gets to kiss you."
"Oh."
Tooru feels Hajime's hand squeeze his thigh but he doesn't look away from Wakatoshi, who is quiet. He turns to look at Hajime, Tooru following his eyes. Hajime gives a soft smile.
"What are you asking, exactly?" Wakatoshi asks, eyes turning from one to the other.
Hajime squeezes again; his sign that the answer is up to Tooru.
"We'd like to date you."
"Together?"
Tooru nods.
"Have you done this before?"
"No," Hajime is the one to answer. "But… I think it could work."
Wakatoshi keeps staring some more.
"I…" Wakatoshi swallows. He looks like he's truly struggling with whatever it is he's thinking. "I promised myself not to let fear stop me from making decisions. That mistakes come with life, and it doesn't make experiences any less valid, or important."
Tooru and Hajime keep quiet. "I'm jealous of your connection. In general and that you have it with each other, I suppose. And there is a part of me afraid that I'll always be an outsider."
Tooru opens his mouth, but Hajime squeezes his thigh and Tooru closes his eyes without saying anything.
"We can't make promises about the future and I can't tell you your fears are unfounded. But… I really like you. Tooru is fond of you and I think he'll only like you more the better he gets to know you," Hajime says.
Wakatoshi doesn't reply and neither do either of them.
"I'm afraid too," Tooru finally decides to break the silence. "You two will be here and I… won't. But it's like you said, we can't let fear stop us from making decisions. Otherwise me and Hajime wouldn't be here. I doubt you would be either."
"When are you going back to Argentina?"
"In a week."
"Then… we can try. I can't make promises but I would be honoured to take you two on dates until you leave."
"Hey!" Hajime exclaims, "I'm taking you two on dates as well, thank you very much."
"Challenge accepted," Tooru immediately says. "You'll be eating my dust."
Wakatoshi looks a bit unsure, but then he smiles. He grabs a hold of one of Hajime's hands and one of Tooru's. He kisses first Hajime's knuckles, then Tooru’s.
"I'm looking forward to this challenge."
Tooru doesn't whimper. It's a close thing, though.
"We're doomed," Hajime says, voice rougher than usual.
"But what a way to go," Tooru says on a sigh.
"I would like to continue to hold your hands, but the food is coming."
Tooru is the first to laugh, followed by Hajime, who raises the hand he had on Tooru's thigh to his face, hiding it.
"It's okay," Tooru promises as he pulls his hand back. "We'll have other opportunities."
Wakatoshi smiles and lets go of Hajime's hand, who finally shows his face, smiling back.
Tooru feels really happy. He can't wait to see what comes next.