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Chifuyu watched the analogue clock on the wall as the time passed. Three minutes until closing. He didn’t really like closing the pet shop early, despite no customers being in the store. It gave him the extra time to double check all the pets, making sure their food and water were refilled and proper bedding was replaced for the night. Once that was finished, he took one last look around the store. His store. Sometimes he couldn’t believe it was real. He somehow was able to pull everything together and own his own pet store. Baji would be proud.
A quick, cool puff of air in his ear disrupted his thoughts and he yelped, immediately covering his ear. “Hey, you gonna close up or do you intend to spend the night? Because I’m leaving you here if you are,” he heard Kazutora say next to him. Chifuyu glared at his friend. “Yeah, yeah, asshole, I’m going.” He went to the front to lock the doors and turn off the lights, Kazutora already making his way out the back to wait for him.
Kazutora, oddly enough, became Chifuyu’s rock after he was released from prison. It took some time for their relationship to get to that point, things being awkward at first. But once he started helping out at the store, the tension between them disappeared naturally. They frequently spent their free time together, and more often than not, wherever you would find Chifuyu, Kazutora would be close behind. It was nice having someone to bond over things with, both good and bad.
Front doors now locked, Chifuyu followed Kazutora out the back entrance, and locked the last door behind him. They made their way to Chifuyu’s car and hopped in to drive back to Chifuyu’s place, a common routine they had.
As soon as they entered his apartment, they heard a sharp “ miaooww ” from the hallway. Chifuyu smiled. “We’re home,” he said, his voice in the same tone as his cat’s meow. A small black cat came padding out of the hallway to greet the two men at the door. Chifuyu picked him up, cuddling him. “Did you miss me, Peke J? Awww.” He rubbed his face against the cat’s, both seemingly purring. Kazutora laughed to himself; sometimes they were too alike. It was adorable, though.
While Chifuyu (and Peke J) went to his room to change out of his current clothes to more casual ones, Kazutora was already ordering dinner for them. “Food should be here in like 20 minutes,” his voice calls from the main room. The long-haired man was seated at his table already sipping a beer when Chifuyu emerged from his room. He snorted, “Make yourself at home, why don’t you.” Kazutora grins, “Don’t mind if I do.” Chifuyu refills Peke J’s (mostly) empty food bowl and grabs himself a beer from his fridge, taking the open seat next to his friend. They watch TV to pass the time until their food arrives, Kazutora occasionally making goofy commentary that makes Chifuyu laugh.
The 20 minutes pass before they know it, and soon they’re chowing down on some noodles. Chifuyu gets a little over halfway through his meal before he’s pushing it to his friend. “Ahh, I think I’m full. Do you want the rest?” Kazutora knew this was coming. Chifuyu never seemed to break that habit since Baji was around. Not that he minded, free food was always welcome in his eyes. But also because he knew that it meant a lot to him. He couldn’t say no with this in mind, so he just quietly accepted the offered food.
The thought of Baji weighed on his mind after dinner, multiple thoughts swimming in his head. It felt dark, suffocating. He needed a smoke. “Hey, I’m gonna step out for a sec,” he excused himself from the table. Chifuyu nodded, “Oh, alright.”
Out on the balcony, the cool night air was already calming his anxious nerves, and a gentle breeze blew through the loose hair that wasn’t tied back in his bun. He pulled out a tin box and lighter from his back pocket, removed a joint, and lit it. Kazutora took a deep breath in; the thick smoke filled his lungs and he held it there for a moment, letting it burn. He exhaled through his nose, watching the rest of the smoke get blown away by the wind. A few more hits in and the uncomfortable weight in his chest began to mellow out.
He was at the end of his joint when he heard the sliding door open and close behind him. Chifuyu joins him at his side, leaning against the railing. He watches the cars on the street drive past, wondering where the people in them were headed to. Maybe they were headed home to their families, or maybe they were just now going in to work. Maybe they were leaving town completely to start a new life; something he had considered doing once upon a time, before Chifuyu had offered him a job.
Kazutora didn’t know where he would be if it weren’t for Chifuyu. No one would probably have hired him with his record. But even after everything that happened between them, Chifuyu still took him in. Though he often wondered why, he was grateful. He didn’t think he would have done the same if he were in that position; that’s what made Chifuyu so special.
Chifuyu eventually breaks the calm silence, “You okay?” Kazutora nods. “Mm.” He paused to take another small drag, ashing out the rest in the ashtray on the balcony’s floor. “Was thinking about Baji,” he half-lied. Chifuyu’s face fell, immediately sympathizing with him. “Oh. Wanna talk about it?” Kazutora shook his head, “Nah. Nothing specific. He was just on my mind, that’s all.” Chifuyu leans his head on his friend's shoulder for comfort, nothing else to say. They bring up Baji every now and then, but that familiar, heavy weight never truly goes away. He doesn’t think it ever will, but somehow, being together soothes that feeling.
The shorter man shivered and that was the signal that it was time to go back in. This time, they make themselves comfortable under some blankets on the couch, sitting close together. Kazutora had the remote, searching through section after section for something to watch. “Wanna watch a movie?” “Sure, just nothing like last time, I swear that gave me nightmares,” Chifuyu shuddered next to him. Kazutora chuckled and put an arm around his friend, pulling him close. “Aww, need me to protect you?” he teased. “Absolutely not,” Chifuyu shoved him a little, but not hard enough to disturb the arm that was placed around his shoulders. They settled on an action movie. Peke J decided to join the two, climbing onto Kazutora’s lap and flopping down. The black cat loved when Kazutora came over, but was constantly getting between the two when they stopped paying attention to him. It was frustratingly adorable.
They get about halfway through the movie when Kazutora yawns. Chifuyu went to tease him but the yawn was contagious, and he found himself doing the same. “I’m gonna pause it, I gotta pee,” Kazutora stated. He gently (reluctantly) removed the sleeping cat on his lap to use the restroom. Peke J just shook his head and walked off, most likely to fall back asleep on Chifuyu’s bed. Chifuyu took the opportunity to lay down on the couch, finally, to stretch out. He idly checked some messages on his phone and scrolled through a social media app until Kazutora returned.
Upon his return, the long-haired man eyed his friend sprawled out across the couch. Seeing no alternative, he flopped on top of his friend, effectively smooshing him. “Agh, get off-” Chifuyu wheezed out. “Nuh uh, comfy,” came the muffled reply, Kazutora’s face buried in Chifuyu’s chest. The shorter one just rolled his eyes. “Ugh, fine. Just let me-” He wiggled underneath his friend, shifting their position so Kazutora was laying more comfortably on top of him. They resumed the movie.
Another 20 minutes of the film passed by, and Kazutora had just about lost all interest. It wasn’t a bad movie by any means, it just wasn’t that interesting. Chifuyu seemed to think otherwise, his attention completely focused on what was going on, aside from his hands periodically running through Kazutora’s let-down hair. He suddenly got an idea.
From where he was laying, the skin on Chifuyu’s neck looked so open and inviting. Not one to pass up a perfectly good opportunity, Kazutora leaned up and softly nipped the side of his neck. No response. He tried again. Nothing. The third time, he bit harder. “Ow, what?” Chifuyu was side-eyeing him, obviously not impressed by Kazutora’s interruptions. He put on his best pout. “I’m bored. Entertain me?” He said the last part while wiggling his eyebrows. Chifuyu just rolled his eyes and looked back at the screen.
Well that won’t do.
Kazutora didn’t give up, instead deciding to change his approach. He bit at his neck again, but placed a short kiss in the same spot after. He does the same thing in another spot, and another, his kisses and bites becoming more intense as he goes. This time, after each one, he receives a small gasp from his friend. Finally. He bites a spot on Chifuyu’s collarbone and runs his tongue along the bite mark. That’s the one that earns him Chifuyu’s attention. He looks at Kazutora, arousal and slight annoyance on his face. “So much for movie watching,” he huffs. Kazutora shrugs, “I got bored.” “You were the one who suggested watching this movie though.” “I know. But now I wanna do something else,” as Kazutora says this, his hands slip underneath Chifuyu’s shirt, settling on his hips. His friend sighs but doesn’t object further. “Alright, but I’m watching this again without you later.” Kazutora smirks and kisses him, shutting them both up.
They make-out for a while, and things quickly become heated; Chifuyu’s hips are grinding against Kazutora’s in an effort to find friction. His hands are buried deep into his hair, and his lungs feel like they’re about to burst. One of Kazutora’s hands moved from his hips to his thigh, grabbing on tightly. Their tongues slide together, taking turns exploring each other’s mouths. Kazutora loves the little noises Chifuyu makes when he gets like this, not even aware he’s making them. It’s cute.
Chifuyu is the first to break away, attempting to catch his breath while Kazutora resumes his earlier attacks on his neck. “Mm, ‘Tora, I gotta get up early tomorrow. Shipment’s coming in-'' he's cut off by his own breathy moan when Kazutora sucks a mark into his skin. He’s not gonna be happy about that tomorrow, but oh well. “-I gotta be there for it,” he finishes. “So?” Kazutora pushes Chifuyu’s shirt up and kisses his way down from his chest to his stomach, leaving small bites every so often. “ So , I can’t- ahh - be up late,” Chifuyu says, nails scratching lightly against Kazutora’s scalp. The long-haired man stops kissing right below his belly button at the top of his pants and locks eyes with him. “Who says we’re gonna take that long?” Chifuyu feels his face heat up at the implication. God, how bad he wants to say yes.
He places his hands on either side of Kazutora’s face to pull him back up, reconnecting their mouths in another open-mouthed kiss. They pull away, both breathless. “You always say that and then we’re up late anyways,” Chifuyu reminds his friend, as well as himself. Kazutora smirks, “You like it, though.” “I do,” he admits. “but not tonight.” Kazutora pouts but sits up anyways, running a hand through his disheveled hair to tame it. “Alright. I should probably get home anyways, don’t wanna miss the last train.” They both look at the wall clock, the time half-past 11. Chifuyu winces internally; he didn’t realize it was that late already.
They remove themselves from the couch and Chifuyu walks Kazutora to his door. The two stop before it, idling in the entryway. “I’ll see you tomorrow?” Chifuyu asks, even though he already knows the answer. Kazutora nods, “Yeah, see you tomorrow, Fuyu.” Chifuyu leans up and kisses him once more. Just as Kazutora was about to leave, the shorter whispers, “If you want, I’ll make it up to you tomorrow night.” Kazutora smiles and turns the doorknob. “I’m looking forward to it.”