Chapter Text
“And then after that, Hirano-san patted my head!” Kagiura says excitedly. He seems to think about what he just said and after a moment he pouts. “Gosh, he treats me like such a baby…”
Miyano’s eyes go wide. “Doesn’t that just mean he’s already in love with you then?” he squeals, putting his hand over his mouth.
Kagiura’s heart skips a beat, his face completely in shock.
“You…you really think so?”
Miya leans into Kagi’s space, a look of intense excitement painting his face. “I really, really think so! I’d never just pat someone’s head after something like that!” he pauses for a second before saying, “In fact, I don’t think I'd ever pat someone’s head period! unless we were dating!….Oh my god! are you guys actually dating!?”
Kagiura’s eyebrows lift in bewilderment, eyes sparkling. “Maybe… maybe we are!”
“OI, STOP FILLING KAGI-KUN’S HEAD WITH STUPID SHIT!” Hirano yells, standing across the room beside Sasaki.
The redhead seems amused as he thinks to himself, “Miya-chan looks like he’s having so much fun.”
A few weeks later…
“Hirano, you’re drooling.” Sasaki points out with a smirk.
“I’m absolutely not!” Hirano snarls, but Miyano who is sitting beside him, catches the faintest sprinkle of pink over his ears, and grins at him too.
“Shut the hell up, I am not.”
He was indeed drooling. And can you blame him? he can’t help himself, not with the sight in front of him.
Kagiura Akira playing basketball.
Miyano, Sasaki and Hirano are currently watching a basketball match. They are there to support Kagiura. Hirano has been coming to Kagi’s matches since he became his roommate, that’s nothing new to him. So what has changed?
Hirano grimaces at the memory flashing in his head again.
It’s a truth universally acknowledged that jealousy makes you realize things. And what a nightmare the whole ‘jealousy and possessiveness’ trope had been to him. (Miyano’s words, not his.)
Long story short, a few weeks ago Hirano had watched in horror as a girl had literally thrown herself on Kagi-kun, hugging him fiercely and after a moment that went on far too long in his opinion, she had stood on her tiptoes and tucked a strand of hair behind his ear. His stomach had sunk at the sight of them together, his mind had gone blank, his vision had been blurred and the next second he found himself slipping an arm around kagiura's shoulders, pulling his roommate closer to him. (“Deja vù?” Miyano had whispered to Sasaki, when Hirano had told them what had happened. Both of them were blushing slightly as they shared an old memory with him.)
So apparently, that girl was his ex-girlfriend, “YOUR WHAT?” Hirano had snapped at Kagiura, demanding details, his heart clenching painfully in his chest.
Kagi had told him they were a couple back when he was in elementary school and after their breakup they remained on good terms as friends.
At the end of the conversation, he felt oddly annoyed and perhaps also a little sad. But he did not know why nor did he say anything. It was too much. He told Kagiura that Hanzawa had sent him a message asking him to meet with him to discuss a last-minute disciplinary committee matter before rushing out of the room.
And only then when he was running away from the dorms, realization washed over him like a tidal wave. Not about his undeniable romantic feelings for Kagira, God knows he had been too dense all this time to instantly understand it. The first thing Hirano’s possessive mind and protective heart realized after the ex-girlfriend incident was actually how popular his roommate was with the girls. He was a hot basketball player after all, and he was good looking, very kind, a gentleman, really… AND WHAT THE FUCK, HAD HE TAKEN KAGI’S LOVE FOR GRANTED?
Hirano didn’t need to explain it with words because Taylor Swift already had, ‘I pictured you with (other) girls in love, then threw up on the street.’ And oh, he literally had thrown up on the street after being running for hours.
Now he does it on a daily basis, the running thing. When Kagiura leaves for his morning basketball practices, he also goes for a run, just to make sure, just to compare it to how he feels, because now, every damn time he sees Kagiura his heart goes crazy, beating so fast he thinks his chest will break, and the rest of his body doesn’t react any better either. Hirano swears that every time Kagiura touches him, whether it’s for their 10-second touching session or just an accidental brush, it’s enough to make his knees wobble.
And the worst of all, Hirano Taiga, a boy of science, thinks that running is no match for the way his heart reacts when he is with Kagiura, it beats faster, unstoppable, indomable, even.
He’s in love, has been for a long time, but realization is a bitch.
“You have to confess to him before he figures it out.” Sasaki's voice snaps him back to reality, once again pulling him away from his thoughts.
“It's easier if he figures it out himself,” he grumbles, without taking his eyes off the court, and crossing his arms over his chest.
“Yeah, but it’s not fair at all, he was brave to confess to you,” his so-called friend says.
Well, damn it.
Hirano turns his head and glares at him. “Do you really think I don’t know that?” he would have slapped him on the head if Miya wasn’t sitting in the middle of the two of them on the bleachers.
“Isn’t it fun? how have the tables turned?” Miyano himself singsongs.
The fuck!?
Miyano teasing him shouldn't have been a surprise, after all…ever since Miyano and Kagi-kun became friends…it has been a pain in the ass.
“I recall when weeks ago you yelled at me for saying to Kagi-kun that it seemed to me that you two were already dating,” he continues. “And now, look at you, this is the character development I was waiting for!”
Hirano 'tchs' at Miyano 's statement.
“Well, Miya-chan it’s right as always,” Sasaki interjects, supporting his boyfriend. “You two do seem like you’ve been dating since forever. You actually look like a married couple.”
Before he could say anything in responde his friend continues, “so it makes me wonder, why is it so difficult for you to confess your romantic feelings for him when you already know he loves you back?”
“It’s complicated!” he snaps back, frowning.
Hirano takes a deep breath and then lowers his voice. “It’s just…It took me all this time to realize I like him, he deserves to know…but I want to make him feel the way I felt when he confessed to me, I have put him through a lot.”
“You definitely did.” Miyano dares to whisper, looking intently at Hirano.
Hirano gives him a murderous look in return and Sasaki laughs loudly.
“S-Sorry Hirano-San… but this is the most slow burn thing I have ever witnessed, the pining was so painful…I could feel it myself and I’m in a very happy relationship, thank you very much.” He says, looking softly at Sasaki. He waves his hands in frustration. “And the whole ‘and they were roommates’ thing, it was killing me.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
“Tropes, Hirano, tropes,” Sasaki says. Miya nods approvingly.
Hirano rolls his eyes at the sweet couple before turning his attention back to the match.
***
Hirano used to think that being in love meant to get lovey-dovey with the person in question, that’s why it took him so long to figure out his own feelings. It was undeniable that he was head over heels for his roommate, but his way of loving was not the same as Kagiura's or Sasaki's. They love without reservation, it comes natural to them to flirt or share affection, they do not care about what other people might think so they are constantly screaming their love with sweet whispered words.
You can tell Hirano is deeply in love with Kagiura when he blushes instantly at the other’s proximity and kind words. His urge to protect and spoil him is his love language. And Hirano Taiga doesn’t know it yet, but because intimacy and privacy are so dear to him, when he finally becomes Kagi’s boyfriend, he’s going to show him a part of him no one else has the right to witness. He may not make public displays of affection but Hirano being a lover is something the rest of the world can only imagine, that version of him belongs only to Kagiura Akira.
So it's okay, if he confesses his feelings in his own way. It’s just about taking different approaches…
“Hirano-san,” a voice says softly, his voice. “You’re staring.”
“What?” he replies in a defensive tone, they were supposed to be studying, the desk he had borrowed from the dorm manager was placed there and everything, but it was true, he did space out for a few seconds, well, shit.
“Are you all right?” his roommate asks as he leans over and puts his chin on his right hand, in the arm that was resting casually on the desk. “You’ve been looking at me with a scowl on your face for like ten minutes. And I might be exhausted because I swear I saw a pout on your lips too.” Then, the little fucker tilts his head to the side slightly as if to play cute. “Is there something you wanna tell me?”
Hirano lowers his gaze, blushing furiously, and reaches out to grab a notebook, just to hit his annoying companion with it.
“Ouch!” Kagiura whines, “What was that for?”
“Don't get distracted and get back to studying!
“You were the one who distracted me!”
“How so?” he feigns ignorance.
“Never mind.” Kagiura sighs as he resignedly composes his posture to start studying again.
A few more minutes passed and Hirano was ready to carry out his plan.
“Kagi-kun,” Hirano says as he leans slightly towards him, handing him a piece of paper. "Here, solve this for me."
Kagiura arches an eyebrow, but he accepts the paper. He has no idea what to expect as he opens it.
“2(2X-i) > 4X – 6U.”
“A math equation?” he asks, sounding a little bit disappointed.
Hirano nods. “Go ahead.”
“Why am I solving math equations when i'm supposed to be studying chemistry?” Kagi complains, who is now the one furrowing his eyebrows.
“It’s important for your young brain to learn different subjects at the same time,” the older explains.
“But I already told you, today I'm studying chemistry…”
“Just do it!” he insists, losing his patience.
“Yeah, but why?”
Hirano mumbles in defeat. “This is me being needy.”
“What?” Kagiura asks, who apparently hadn't heard him.
“GODDAMMIT. THIS. IS. ME. BEING. NEEDY. OKAY!?” Hirano snaps with frustration.
“This. is. you. being. needy?” Kagiura repeats, his voice laced with amusement. “Me resolving math equations?”
“Yeah, pretty much.” Hirano affirms, crossing his arms over his chest. “This is another unreasonable request, you said I can be needy with you, does this not apply?”
Kagiura shakes his head, laughing. “It's not that!...It’s just…it's funny because this is not you being needy, this is actually you being you !”
Hirano rolls his eyes but a smile threatens to appear on his lips.
After a beat, Kagiura gives in. “Fine.”
He picks up his pencil and looks down at the paper. “But you owe me five more seconds in our next ten-second touching session.”
“Gladly.” Hirano blurts out before his brain could make that important brain-to-mouth connection.
Fuck.
Kagiura looks up at him, his eyes and mouth wide open.
“WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?”
“Quickly! I said quickly!” Hirano hurriedly corrects himself, then he tries to calm the panic in his voice by saying, “We add those five seconds to our next session, only if you manage to solve it quickly.”
The younger snorts but starts doing the equation anyway.
It took him less than five minutes.
He looks up again and triumphantly says to Hirano, “the answer is -2i > – 6U!”
“Other possible answers?” Hirano asks expectantly, resting his elbows on the desk and leaning in closer to Kagiura.
The boy in front of him blinks in surprise, flushing slightly at the sudden proximity. He takes a moment to think of other possible answers.
“ 2i < 6U or 1 < 3 U , Happy now?” Kagi manages to say.
“Yes!” Hirano responds, his voice full of pride. “So?”
“So…?” Kagiura repeats in confusion, tilting his head.
Hirano shoots him a glare, then he pinches the bridge of his nose. He thinks he will have a headache.
“This isn’t really working at all. This was ridiculous,” he thinks to himself.
“Correct,” Hirano sighs in defeat and pats Kagi’s head before he peels himself off of the floor and begins to gather his things.
Kagiura is so confused, if the answers to the equation are correct why does Hirano seem so frustrated? “What are you doing?”
“Going to sleep?”
Kagiura briefly whips around to look at the clock. “But it’s early, i mean, for you .” Green dark eyes are roaming over Hiranos’s face. “You always stay up all night studying.”
“A n-” he stutters, “a dedicated person like you always stays up all night studying.”
Wait, what did he mean by “n–”?
“Hold on a second, what the hell were you going to say?”
“I- ” Kagi gulps and quickly mumbles, “nerd.” His roommate blushes, raising both of his hands up as he blurts out, “But that’s nothing to be ashamed about! I actually find it extremely hot!”
Hirano's heart melts, eyes completely wide open. He can feel the heat emanating off his cheekbones.
“You know, studying really suits you,” Kagiura continues and then he smiles brightly.
It’s the kind of smile that makes desire beat through Hirano’s blood like a pulse.
“STOP FLIRTING WITH ME, AND GET YOUR ASS BACK TO STUDY!” Hirano snaps extremely flustered by the direction of the conversation. He turns his face away from Kagi's intense stare. Fuck, he is flushing so hard right now.
He takes a deep breath and without making eye contact, he adds, “and yes, being the nerd that I am, I recorded a class today, so I'm going to listen to it while I lie down, my back is killing me.”
Kagi’s eyes soften. “Okay then. I'll stay and study a little longer, see you in the morning.”
“Good night, Kagi-kun.”
“Good night, Hirano-san!”
Hirano lies down on his bed, pulling the covers over himself. He grabs his cell phone and headphones to play his recorded class, but before doing so, he takes a few seconds to play a specific song.
From the speakers of his headphones Taylor Swift sings, “he's so tall and handsome as hell.”
“He totally is.” Hirano allows himself to breathe out a sigh.
‘For god’s sake, you’re being so fucking embarrasing’ he thinks as he rolls over to the other side of the bed.
If Hirano hadn’t been so busy being miserable, he would have noticed Kagiura smiling suspiciously replaying the last few moments in his hopeful mind.
The boy grabs his phone and updates Miya and Niibashi about his non-existent (yet) love life.