Work Text:
It all started back then.
Mikado had always noticed how Hiyakawa slouched. It wasn’t as apparent while walking as when he was sitting but his posture was mostly slouching. Like the guy always subconsciously wanted to make himself look smaller, or not stand out as much, which was quite in vain according to Mikado. Though it was natural, he supposed, as the tall man had to look down while talking to other people most of the time. He just hoped the cause was purely physical instead of anything psychological.
Still, Mikado thought it would’ve been worse when Hiyakawa got older if he didn’t try to fix it now, so he asked the only person he knew would be unquestionably experienced about this.
“I mean, you’re even taller than him but you don’t seem to have the same problem,” Mikado said, looking up and down at the man sitting across from him.
“Nothing a proper, regular workout couldn’t fix,” Sakaki replied casually in between slurping his miso ramen. The man’s tall and muscular built completely at odds with the tiny chair and table of this hole-in-the-wall ramen shop they went for lunch.
It was the first time they hung out just the two of them, if not for their coincidental meeting at this cooking course they could pay per lesson. So Mikado didn’t waste the chance to seek some advice.
“If he developed more of his back muscles, shoulders, and pecs at least, naturally his posture would improve.” Sakaki raised one of his eyebrows at him, “surely a gym rat like you would’ve known that.”
“I know…but,” Mikado started, “I haven’t been able to work out regularly myself, lately…just, we’re working overtime a lot…and asking him to start exercising is just as hard as making toddlers eat their veggies…”
‘Not that he’s any better on that either,’ Mikado lamented inwardly.
Sakaki glanced at him unimpressed, “…tch, I know you guys still in honeymoon phase or whatever, but you definitely can’t sub workouts with sex—”
“That’s not it!!” Mikado’s face burnt. “We start taking cases outside the districts so we’re burned out!”
“Yeah?” Sakaki scoffed, “then that one time must’ve been just my rotten luck walking in on you having a quickie at your office?”
“W-we were just kissing!” Mikado lied through his teeth, blushing furiously and hastily shoving the noodles in big mouthfuls to distract himself.
That night he and Hiyakawa were so pent up after four days of holding back to prepare only to get the appointment canceled last minute by the client. They weren’t supposed to have any more clients as it was nearing midnight and the other offices in the building were all closed so decided not to wait till they get home and try being naughty for once. Who knew their shitty luck that they totally forgot to lock the door and Sakaki just happened to barge in unannounced, of all time, for a false emergency regarding Erika going missing.
“Kissing your boss with your pants down, huh…” Sakaki rolled his eyes, absolutely not buying it.
“Can’t you please drop it already?” Mikado groaned, he wasn’t as thick-faced as his boyfriend and being confronted with this stuff just made him too embarrassed. That was the first and the last time they ever did it at the office, door locked or not. They had learned their lesson.
At least thankfully it was Sakaki and not Mukae (or Gods forbid Hanzawa-san), or the guy would tease the life out of him.
“Whatever, anyway he’s already in his 30s right?”
Mikado nodded.
“Then, he’d better shape up now while he still can. Just snap some more sense to him, say that if he keeps being lazy, then he won’t live long enough to see the govt finally legalizing you two to get married.”
“ughh…”
“or threaten him a little, that you won’t sleep with him anymore unless he builds more stamina—”
“FINE, fine…I get it!”
Sakaki smirked, which made his face look even more intimidating.
“Heard your usual place closed up recently…want me to let you in at our private gym? There are rings for boxing and wrestling too…” Sakaki offered. “It’s run by our group and I’m friends with the manager there. It’s in Kabukicho, though, but only men are allowed.”
‘…Kabukicho? A place filled with yakuza training their fighting skills?!’ Mikado left it unsaid.
“N-no, thanks, I’ll just look up another gym closer to his place…”
***
“C’mon, Mikado-san, just this one pleaseeee,” Sugihara, his coworker at the bookstore, whined at him for the 3rd time that day.
“No! How many times do I have to tell you? I’m not interested in going to any goukon…so please don’t ask me for this stuff anymore.” He shirked off the sticky guy and went to clean another shelf, “and don’t give out my number to strangers like last time!”
“But why?? You’re the only man here other than me who’s still single…yet you never even give it a try, don’t you want to get married someday?” the man persisted. “It’s not like I’m asking you to date her right after, but wouldn’t it be nice to have a new friend, or at least come just to have a meal and drink together.”
“No.”
“Pleaseee…Mikado-san, I’m really begging you just this one time!” he sounded desperate, “Ugh fine! I’ll be honest with you…actually the friend of this girl I’m really interested in is specifically asking for you to come, she actually had asked for your number before but I didn’t give it. She wants to be friends with you and hopes that you could probably introduce him to your friend, that’s why I suggested it’s better for her to talk to you first—”
“What??” that got Mikado’s full attention, “which friend do you mean?”
“That tall, handsome guy who always comes here to meet you and Manager.”
Mikado almost dropped the book in his hand.
“Manager said he’s friendly with him…it’s uh..Ha-Hayakawa-san, isn’t it? Manager said he’s your boss from the cleaning company and that he’s still single.”
“Hiyakawa,” Mikado snapped, “It’s Hiyakawa-san, not Hayakawa.”
“Yes, yes, that’s it! Anyway, he doesn’t look much older than us, though…does he really own the company? Like, perhaps, a young master from a rich family?”
“He isn’t, our company is just a small start-up business, wait Sugihar—”
“Ah, that’s good then! I was thinking before this guy might be out of our league…but he’s close to you, right? I mean usually, bosses don’t really interact with their employees outside the workplace.”
“Yeah, we’re close. So let me ask you this, how did this girl know about Hiyakawa-san?” Mikado couldn’t hide the annoyance anymore. “Did you snap his picture secretly and send it to her or something?”
“No, nothing like that!” Sugihara vehemently shook his head. “This girl I’m interested in and her friend had come here a few times actually. They said they always saw Hiyakawa-san around when they came so they thought he was our regular…I mean he does come here quite often, doesn’t he?”
“I see…” Mikado fixed his glasses and turned back to the shelf, avoiding the curious gaze from the other. “Then please tell that girl to give up on the ideas. Hiyakawa-san’s already dating someone and it’s a serious one.”
“Eh?? Really? But Manager said—”
“Of course, I would know more about this than the Manager, I work for the guy, remember?” Mikado gritted out. “So I’m really sorry but I can’t help you out this time. And please, Sugihara-san, I still have a lot of work to do.” He gestured to the piling books in front of him.
Sugihara looked utterly disappointed, but eventually gave up and excused himself.
After Sugihara’s retreating back was completely gone from his view, he realized he’d been clutching the book in his hand with so much power that the thick cover crinkled.
He unclenched his fist and took a deep breath to calm down.
Actually, there had been many times he was tempted to tell others that he was dating now. But doing so would just make his gossipy and nosy coworkers pester him all the time to introduce his lover. He wouldn’t even be able to pretend since the only person he met up with regularly outside work was just Hiyakawa.
He wanted to shout to the world that he was dating that man yet at the same time still had many misgivings about coming out.
But right now, there was an unfamiliar feeling simmering in the pit of his stomach.
He couldn’t tell which one upset him more. The fact that a girl feigned interest in him to try using him as a means for her ulterior motive…
…or the possibility of Hiyakawa getting approached by others behind his back.
The only thing he knew, at the moment, was this overwhelming urge to punch something and throw a fit.
***
“Hey, come on, wake up!” Mikado shakes vigorously the bulging figure of his lover on the bed, completely bundled with the comforter with only the top of his head showing.
“…ten more minutes…” a hoarse whisper is heard from inside the pile of sheets.
“You said that an hour ago, it’s almost 10!” he tries prying the thick duvet yet despite the state of sleeping (or pretending to sleep), the other’s death grip on it doesn’t even budge.
Getting annoyed, Hiyakawa turns on his back and lowers the sheet, showing his pillow face with eyes still half-closed.
“You mean it’s only 10. It’s Sunday, Kousuke, and no work…so stop being fussy.” He rolls to his side and almost goes inside his fortress again yet Mikado is faster and finds an opening.
“No, you’re not going back to sleep and—” With one of his feet braced on the bedframe for leverage, he yanks the troublesome duvet with all his might, completely off the bed.
Upon seeing the man inside it is still buck naked, he throws back the cover on top of his body and hastily searches for the other’s boxer.
“I told you to put something on before sleep! Sheesh…” he chucks the black trunks he found lying on the floor to the other’s face, which Hiyakawa simply sweeps off his head.
Mikado sighs, realizing the man doesn’t have the slightest intention to start the day, and changes his tactic. He sits on the bed and gently tugs the older man’s arm.
“C’mon Rihito-san, wake up, I made you breakfast and now it’s already cold,” he drawls. The effect is immediate as Hiyakawa opens one of his eyes.
“…and we need to head out for the gym, we’re already late.”
That makes the other snap both his eyes open and abruptly turn to him. Eyebrows furrowing and looking at Mikado as if he just said something outrageous.
“You’re jesting right?” Hiyakawa asks with a hint of disbelief.
“No? it’s in our schedule, remember? And we haven’t trained at all last week—”
“I was up all night and sweating, my joints feel like breaking, and my muscles ache all over the place,” Hiyakawa explains like it’s a big deal, “and you’re still asking me to go exercise? Give me a break.” He plops right back down and burrows his face on the pillow.
“Huh?? That’s rich coming from you when I’m the one being pounded all night…” Mikado points out, “if you’re aching then how do you think my body feel now? But I still woke up early and prepared breakfast for you too, you know.”
“Being on top is hard work too, you know,” Hiyakawa replies matter-of-factly.
“I don’t see you complaining last night. At all.”
“…that’s because a certain someone begged very cutely for a fourth-round and I’m just a weak man so how could I ever resist?” Hiyakawa teased. The guy has indeed gotten wittier with his mouth.
Mikado’s cheeks flare, embarrassed by the sudden reminder of their wild activities just a few hours ago.
“What th- who begged?! Don’t mix up your fantasies with the real thing!” He kicks the other’s bare calf that sticks out from the duvet. “Oi!”
Hiyakawa suddenly shoots his hand up and tugs Mikado’s arm that he loses balance and falls on top of the other. Hiyakawa immediately traps him within his arms and covers them both before Mikado can pull away.
“If Kousuke’s that eager to get all sweaty again then I know a much better way to do it,” he whispers right into Mikado’s ear in his deep ‘late-night’ husky voice the older man has developed in the past few months.
“And we don’t even have to go out.” One of his hands has boldly gone into the younger’s waistband while intertwining their legs together, effectively sticking his (still) very naked prick right onto Mikado’s inner thigh.
Mikado doesn’t wait before his body grows hot and pushes the other away, pinching Hiyakawa’s cheek with all his might.
“Oww!”
“I see you’re up enough already to joke around.” Mikado shoves him the trunks again. “Off the bed and eat your breakfast. Now.”
Sensing Mikado doesn’t up for another bout of fooling around, he pouts and snatches the black fabric before reluctantly putting them on.
“I’ll eat, but just go by yourself. I’ll wait till you back so we can have lunch together,” Hiyakawa decides one-sidedly. “In fact, I’m not going to any more gym because it’s summer and it’s too hot.”
“Look, if you suddenly stop like that you’re going to lose all your hard work!”
Hiyakawa opens his mouth to protest but Mikado beats him again, “plus…you’re going to lose money.”
“What?”
“Because I’ve already paid your membership fees for the next 3 months,” Mikado baits. He knows just how much the man hates losing money no matter the amount, so he has prepared in advance.
Hiyakawa frowns, “but didn’t you say this program is a trial? So whether I want to continue or not—”
“The trial ended last month, and since it’s better to do this until you find what regimen works best for you, they recommended another 3 months,” Mikado explains, busying himself with tidying the bed to dodge the glare directed at him. “C’mon…don’t give me that look, you already promised to keep doing this as long as I go with you, right? It’s not like our schedules always match…so I take that as your permission.”
“And you did say you don’t get easily tired nowadays, right? That’s a good thing, no? It means you’re getting fitter,” he coaxes.
When Hiyakawa finally allows himself to be tugged off the bed, Mikado knows he has won once again.
It’s been three months after Mikado was finally able to persuade the older man to start exercising regularly. Not just to improve his posture but also to try getting rid of all the junk accumulating in his body from years of instant and fast food, as well as to develop a healthier habit and maybe find another hobby.
It was a tough ride at first. Basically, Hiyakawa hates physical exertion other than sex, which on the opposite, he always welcomes with full-on enthusiasm. And he just didn’t see the appeal of this trend in men building up their bodies vigorously. Especially since his job doesn’t demand him to show it around.
It’s not for the trend Mikado defended, it’s a life-long investment, y’know, to keep in shape so we won’t get easily sick when we’re older. I promise, it’s not the hard one like for those body-builders, the key is just to regularly do it.
Won’t you give it a try? It’s also another thing that we can do together.
Hiyakawa finally relented, Fine then…since Kousuke pays attention to the exterior so I should work harder too, he said with a meaningful glance.
T-that’s not what I mean! Mikado was flustered after the words sank in. Look, this is for your own good, okay? not mine! If you’re doing this for me then you won’t last long. Think about it this way, if you work out regularly, you’ll get fitter, then you won’t get easily tired.
I see…I’m physically much older than you, after all, so I can see how it’s going to benefit me in the long run, he nodded.
Right! Mikado assured.
He didn’t understand what the other meant by ‘physically’. And the way Hiyakawa quirked his lips in the end while glancing at him up and down made him feel they didn’t have the same ‘purpose’ regarding the benefits of exercising in their minds.
Well, as long as the man agreed, he thought.
Despite dragging him to the gym was always a battle of will at first, Hiyakawa had quickly learned the rope and seemingly quite enjoyed the new activity, though the man himself refused to admit it out loud. Also, with Mikado being there (and was technically the more experienced one in this), he could sense it drove Hiyakawa to catch up.
And now the said man, despite grumbling all the way, is still doing his best at his routine if only just to get his worth of what he had unknowingly paid to the gym.
Hiyakawa has indeed developed immensely, especially his upper body. Not so much bulky yet his slouching posture has indeed improved a lot. His t-shirt, which 3 months ago still hung a tad loose on his frame, is now snugging his arms and torso, defining the muscles underneath.
Mikado observes the other’s form, making sure Hiyakawa doesn’t push himself too hard with the bench press to vent out his sulking energy. Since he himself has finished with his routine, all that’s left is to wait and watch the other.
That’s when he realized how the gym is unusually packed today. Buzzes of chatting surrounding them which strangely come from young girls, high-schoolers or college students he can’t really tell, he has never seen setting foot on this establishment before despite this place isn’t restricted only for men.
These girls all kinda flock together in a group of 3 or 4 around one equipment. But what really bothers him is the fact he’s been catching glimpses of some of them repeatedly glancing in their direction. He even feels some of them are pointing at them and when Mikado stares them back, they look away and start whispering among them.
“Hey, don’t you think the place is really crowded today?” He looks down at Hiyakawa from where he’s standing before the other’s head.
“I don’t know. I’m still upset with you, remember? So I’m not talking to you,” Hiyakawa replies without even looking at him, though the man clearly still listens to each of the younger’s instructions.
Mikado rolls his eyes, already too familiar with this childish retort, and goes to see the manager.
Turns out, it’s the start of summer break and the gym has collaborated with the dojo and dance studio in the same building to provide discounted programs for students to encourage them to stay physically active, as subsidized by the govt, he says.
‘So it seems this crowd will stay for a while or even multiply in the upcoming weeks’ Mikado broods sourly.
He’s on his way back to Hiyakawa, who is now in the midst of doing push-up, when he stops abruptly because he swears he heard a sound of a shutter click somewhere. He looks around the older man yet only finds a group of girls quickly darting away. He doesn’t see any of them holding any device, though.
He approaches the other and sees that the man seems not bothered by anything. Surely if those girls had been taking pictures of Hiyakawa, the man would’ve noticed and confronted them?
Mikado tries not to overthink. But it does make him feel very uncomfortable…
Sakaki-san
Today
Hey, is your offer for the gym still on?
Can you let me and Hiyakawa-san in?
13.30
Sure…
What happened? Place closed again?
13.40
Nah, just wanna a change of pace
Lemme know when we can start
13.41
Yea, I’ll call the manager
Have I told ya it’s in Kabukicho?
13.43
Yup, np
We usually go in the morning anyways
And it’s only until summer break’s over
13.44
Got it
13.44
“—ousuke, did you hear me??” Hiyakawa’s voice startles him. Mikado looks up at the man, who is already packed to go home with his hair slicked back and damp, still fresh from the shower.
“Ah, yeah, sorry what did you say?”
“Who are you texting so seriously with?” Hiyakawa narrows his eyes.
“It’s Sakaki-san.”
He frowns, "you’re getting a lot closer with him lately.”
“That’s not it, he offered us to use their private gym and I accepted...” Well, technically he didn’t lie.
“We’re not going back here?” Hiyakawa's puzzled, “What about my membership then?”
“I canceled it, talked to the manager earlier and he said he’ll return half the fees…and Sakaki-san’s place won’t charge us for now,” he elaborates, leaving out the details that the place is practically yakuza’s den. “And Sakaki-san even offered to be our PT or if we want to try learning martial arts, it has everything there…it’s really cool, right?”
“I’m not having him touching your body in front of me,” Hiyakawa states, tone cold and deadly.
“Of course not, he’s just going to instruct us!”
Hiyakawa then shrugs nonchalantly, “Well, if it’s free then why not.”
Mikado sends a quick ‘thanks a lot’ to Sakaki-san and ignores the buff man’s reply of ‘No biggie, but if you two start humping each other in our locker room, I’ll kick you out with my own foot.’
And if he glares at one of the girls he saw earlier, who seems about to approach Hiyakawa on their way out, nobody needs to know.
Particularly not the man himself.