Work Text:
“Where are you going?”
Hifumi looks up from his shoelaces, finishing the tie of his left ones. “Out? It’s my day off, did you forget?”
Doppo squints at him and he feels sweat gathering at the back of his neck. Was he that obvious? He thought his getup wasn’t too different from the clothes he’d usually wear to go out around the evening like this. It’s not like it was unheard of for him to be wearing dress shirts and pants. Maybe them being those new, brand-name ones was a little suspicious, but, well…
“Out to…?” Doppo continues to query, clearly suspicious as he holds his water bottle near his face. It’s a rare occasion where their schedules met, both having days off at the same date.
Doppo usually sleeps those days away. Hifumi was hoping to leave without getting his attention, but it seemed he was just keen on staying up, today...
...now that he thinks about it, it does look suspicious, straight up incriminatory, that he’s leaving the house, and all dressed up too. Doesn’t collective free time usually mean eating dinner together and watching a movie? You know, like old friends usually do? It used to, not too long ago.
(Except they didn’t do that as much, lately, even on days like these. Though the invitation was always given, there was always a reason either of them wouldn’t take part in it. But that’s something Hifumi doesn’t want to think about.)
“I’m just gonna hang out with a friend!” Is what he settles for, chiming. Not the best excuse, but surely Doppo would accept that, right? He wouldn’t want him to neglect his friendships! Even though, he really didn’t have much of anyone else he was close to…
...but how about he doesn’t think about that either? Doppo stares at him strangely, doubting. He gives him his best smile.
“Right.” He concedes in a mutter, and Hifumi releases a breath he hadn’t known he was holding. The word by itself is ridiculously benign, but he feels so compelled to pick apart at it. Pry the letters away from each other, feel up the spaces between them.
Just in case.
“Sorry I can’t stay for movie night and stuff!” He says, more of a formality than really warning him about absence, and finishes tying the lace. “You can call sensei over, though?”
Doppo makes a bit of a sad pause, averting his eyes towards the floor. “He’s working. I told you that the next time he was free we’d have a meeting, right?”
Hifumi knows well he doesn’t remember a word of that. “Oh! Yeah, true.” He musters up a giggle, getting up from the couch in a hop, dusting off his slacks. Doppo continues to eye at him, questions sprout in his head, but he stills them. “Then, I’ll see ya later! There’s food in the fridge for dinner, if you want!”
He hurries off before Doppo can say goodbye too. Stepping into the elevator, seeing his reflection on the mirror — Dressed up, hair done, black slacks and dress shirt with that red rose patterned suit jacket — he cringes at his own reflection, seeing every bit of the interaction again in his mind.
He really wasn’t hiding any of it well, was he? Well, it’s not like he could expect much from himself. The secret would have to come out at one point.
Lying wasn’t his strong suit, after all.