Chapter Text
Kanata looks in the dressing room mirror, applying dark red lipstick. One would think the red would clash with his natural aesthetic, but Rei thinks it brings out everything about him, due to the contrast. The lightbulbs surrounding the mirror highlight Kanata’s hair, eyes, a few faint freckles, and the shine on his lips, and Rei can’t imagine anything more perfect.
Then again, if you asked him, Kanata is perfect.
…He might be biased.
Kanata finishes with a contained flourish, smacking his lips once. He caps the lipstick and crawls over to where Rei is sitting lazily on the sofa. “Rei~ come here,” he says, holding his arms open.
Rei flops into Kanata’s arms, looping his arms around his lover’s neck. Kanata descends like a whirlwind, pressing his lips against Rei’s urgently, intensely, open-mouthed with sheer want. He’s a sloppy kisser, but Rei takes every moment of it with total adoration, swooning further into the curve of Kanata’s body. By the time Kanata pulls back, Rei feels dazed and lovesick, and his lips are sore.
“We should go to the beach,” Kanata whispers in his face.
“Yes,” Rei agrees immediately.
“Oceans club and Undead,” Kanata adds.
“Anything for you.”
Kanata kisses him again, hard enough to bruise and passionate enough to leave Rei’s head spinning, and leaves the dressing room with a giggle.
Hm. What exactly did he just agree to?
Rei breezes into Undead’s practice room at ES that afternoon, mere hours later. Kanata had already texted him a picture of him in Eichi’s office, middle finger discreetly stuck up, presumably getting approval for the trip. Sena will have to get approval separately, but Sengoku is in the same unit as Kanata, and Rei can easily get approval from Rhythm Link for both Undead and Kanzaki.
He claps his hands. “So. Who wants to guess where we’re going this weekend?”
Koga doesn’t look up from tuning his guitar, Kaoru’s attention is fixed on his phone, and Adonis is the only one who deigns him with a response: “Are we taking a trip?”
“Yes, we are.” Rei claps his hands. “Well, come on, it’s no fun if you don’t guess.”
Koga glances up. “Special Music Zone?”
Kaoru rolls his eyes. “Don’t be silly, Doggie,” he says, pinching Koga’s cheek. “That’s not a trip worth a whole weekend. I think… we’re going to Transylvania.” He smirks.
Rei pretends to swoon into the nearest chair. “Oh, how my beloved unitmates mock me! No, and no! We’re going somewhere postcard-worthy!”
Kaoru perks up. “Is it—”
“The beach?” Adonis guesses.
“Hey, I was just going to say that!”
Rei springs to his feet again, sweeping Adonis into a hug. “Yes, yes! You’re right. We’re going to a beach! And that’s not the best part~”
Koga finally sets his guitar aside to squint suspiciously at Rei. “What have you planned this time, ya damn vampire bastard?”
“Oceans club is coming as well~!”
Rei expects complaints. He expects confusion. He expects sensibility from Kaoru.
Koga leans back, relaxes. “Alright. That’s neat. So Zakki and the others are coming too?” His fingers, drumming on the side of the plastic chair, belie his nervousness.
Adonis smiles. “Yes, it will be nice to spend more time with Kanzaki and the rest of the marine life club.”
Kaoru stares at the other two, his face flashing from pale white to bright pink to a blotchy nervous color. “Oh god. You’re right. Souma-kun will be there.”
Rei does not expect… that. Souma and Adonis are friends, of course. But Koga? And Kaoru? And when they clearly should be focusing on Kanata, too!
It’s okay. Not everyone has to appreciate Kanata 100% of the time. He can move on.
…
“Here are the trip details,” he says, tossing the folders to each of them. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a boyfriend to kiss.” He flounces out of the room, putting a notable amount of effort into not sulking.
After the initial confusion, everything else runs smoothly; for Undead, at least. Apparently there was an issue in Ryuseitai regarding Chiaki taking temporary guardianship of some shurikens…? Everyone else decides not to question it.
Kaoru is excited. The beach is one of his favorite places. And to go with his friends in Undead and the Oceans club…
He remembers Souma, and the butterflies swarm his stomach like an attack squadron. Maybe the butterflies have katanas. Maybe that’s why he feels so nervous.
He surveys his suitcase for the fifth time. He’s got everything, right? Swimsuit, sandals, sunscreen, actual clothes—
“Oi, Hakaze-senpai.”
Kaoru almost screams. “Koga-kun! Wha—huh. Where’d you—how did you get in here?”
Koga gives him that look that says are you stupid? and points a thumb over his shoulder. Yuta waves from the couch. “I can’t believe you’re still packing. We leave in like… an hour.”
“Shit.” Kaoru slumps back onto the bed. “Ugh, it sucks that I can’t bring my board.”
Koga snorts. “Yeah, good luck fitting that on the train.”
Kaoru whines. “But then I can’t show off to Souma-kyun… I’ve been promising to show him my moves for like, a year now.”
Koga leans over Kaoru, staring at him. “Huh. Adonis was right.”
“Adonis is usually right,” Kaoru says cautiously. “Or he’s not.”
“You do have a crush on Souma.”
Kaoru sits bolt upright, whacking his forehead directly into Koga’s nose. “What?!”
“Ow,” Koga mutters, rubbing his face. “I mean, we all saw how you reacted when Sakuma-senpai mentioned Oceans was coming too. You freaked out like a nervous girl.”
Kaoru gapes at him like a fish. “Wha—okay, well, if that’s it, you were barely any better, don’t think I don’t know you bite your lip when you’re nervous.”
Koga flushes red. “Idiot, what does that have to do with anything?! And why the hell would you even notice that?”
“What, it’s not my duty as a loving and caring senior to look out for when my juniors are in emotional turmoil?”
Koga snaps at him, teeth bared. “Oi, stop deflecting! You’re procrastinating so you don’t have to think about the fact that you’re about to spend a whole weekend with a guy you like.” He rolls his eyes. “It’s pathetic.”
Kaoru ignores him, reaching up to take Koga’s face in his hands. “Are you okay? You’re being awfully touchy.”
“What?”
He pulls Koga closer to whisper in his ear, “I mean, you saw how I reacted to the mention of Souma-kyun, hmm? If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were staring, Koga-kun.” He leans back. “I meant your nose, of course. Does it hurt? Do you need someone to kiss it better?”
Koga stares at him, open-mouthed.
Kaoru likes to think he’s gotten over the whole thing where he hated guys and refused to entertain any idea that he could like them. He’s accepted that he’s probably bisexual, although he hasn’t thought about it too hard. So this is like… a normal conversation. Yeah.
He leans up again and places a feather-light kiss on the bridge of Koga’s nose. “All better,” he says, winking.
Koga closes his mouth and swallows as if he can’t get enough air. “I… have to pack, um. My guitar,” he says, voice nearly a gasp, and flees the room.
Kaoru sees Yuta’s gaze follow Koga out the door, and then whip back to Kaoru. “No,” he says.
“Hakaze-senpai—”
“That didn’t happen,” Kaoru insists. He buries his face in his hands. “Oh my god.”
Yuta just stares at him.
“...I still need to pack.”