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Akihiko is a natural flirter.
Haruki remembers coming to this simple conclusion shortly after meeting him. Flirting was as natural to Akihiko as breathing. The way he looks at you like you are all he sees; that little playful smirk plastered on his face that makes everything he says in that husky voice of his sound flirty; the continuous absent-minded running of his fingers in your hair making it impossible to focus on a conversation.
The studio suddenly feels suffocating and cramped, Haruki needs a break. A well deserved cigarette is all he can think about as he strums the strings of his bass, slender fingers already familiar with the chords of the new song they are working on. It was Mafuyu who came up with a new melody a few days ago, that kid’s talent is really incredible. Although at first glance he appears clueless and spaced-out, it is actually nothing more than an illusion. Haruki is glad they have someone like him in their band. Though it’s pretty obvious that it’s Uenoyama who enjoys his presence the most. Having a crush on a band member just calls for problems, he thinks, only to remember immediately after that he is in no place to judge anybody.
It’s exactly his crush on a fellow band member the reason why he so desperately needs a break. Practices are becoming increasingly harder, and focusing on his instrument when Akihiko is right there, looking so goddamn good playing the drums, will soon be an impossible task. Of all people, why him? he wonders, rubbing his eyes and removing the strap of the bass from around the neck.
“Oi, Haru, cigarette?”
It’s not like Akihiko can read his mind — that would be quite troublesome for Haruki — but their cigarette break is a consolidated routine they would never give up. He wishes he could stop his cheeks from turning pink, but he knows he failed when he feels them getting warmer. Why the nickname all of a sudden? He sighs, but accepts the offer.
As they head outside in a comfortable silence, Haruki reaches for his pack in his back pocket and puts a cigarette between his lips. He is really craving some tobacco.
A pleasant summer breeze eases the high temperature and makes his loose strands lightly swirl.
“I’ve run out of cigarettes” Akihiko says. “Would you give me yours?”
As Haruki is about to take another one, he sees Akihiko’s hand getting dangerously close to his face and stealing the cigarette directly from his mouth.
“This will do.”
Haruki stares at him with wide eyes, an unmistakable redness spreading on his face, as he stumbles on his words. “Hey!” that’s all he manages to say, hoping the trembling in his voice isn’t too obvious.
He silently pulls another cigarette from the half-empty pack and with the corner of his eyes, he observes Akihiko shielding his with a hand, while he uses the other to light it up with his black lighter. It lasts less than a second, but for that second Haruki is mesmerized by the beautiful shadows created by the fire on the perfectly sculpted features of his face. He tries not to think about the fact that what was his previous cigarette is now in Akihiko’s mouth, so close to his piercings, and his lips, and his tongue, and Haruki has never wished to be an object so desperately.
Back against the wall, he shakes his head to get rid of the mental image. He wants to slide down to the floor and scream. Too bad he is an adult and he is supposed to know how to handle a situation like this. Feigning a calmness that doesn’t really suit his actual mood, he reaches into his pockets to look for his lighter. He must have left it inside.
“Here.”
Haruki is already holding his palm out, when he realizes Akihiko wasn’t talking about the lighter. The blond is suddenly two steps closer, leaning down a few centimeters towards his face. A flush immediately spreads across his cheeks when he suddenly finds Akihiko's fingers under his chin. What is going on? Haruki almost feels dizzy for how close they are. Akihiko presses the tip of his cigarette to Haruki’s to light it up.
The scent of summer mingles with the woody musk note of his perfume. He inhales deeply. They stay like this for a few seconds, until a light trail of smoke swirls up from his cigarette. He can feel those green eyes staring right through him, while he can’t stop blinking and looking at anything but in front of him. Akihiko finally pulls back and Haruki breathes again.
“Couldn’t you just give me your lighter like a normal person?” he asks nervously.
Akihiko locks eyes with him and takes a deep drag, as if he were lost in thought. He then slowly exhales a cloud of smoke. There’s a husky chuckle. “It’s funnier like this.”
Funnier my ass.
He can’t help but stare at the two fingers holding the cigarette. He wonders how they would feel insid— “Well, thanks” he mumbles as he finally takes a long, necessary drag. He was really itching for a cigarette. Ah, what a tantalizing, mind-numbing feeling. Exactly what he needs. Sometimes he thinks Akihiko will drive him crazy with his subtle way of flirting. Can he even call it “flirting”, considering Akihiko is not really interested in him? It’s just in his nature to tease, and touch, and make his skin tingle with a single glance.
He blows sweet smoke into the night air, watching as it disappears, leaving behind only a faint trace of its presence. The first stars were starting to appear in the clear summer sky. He wonders if Akihiko is aware of the massive, growing crush he has been having on him since the first time he saw him in university. If he were an attentive observer, which unfortunately he was, he should have noticed all the signs. The pink shades on his cheeks and his blabbing whenever they are too close are both an obvious giveaway.
They chat about their last session, how Mafuyu has visibly improved with his guitar skills, and how they are looking forward to their next live show. It feels nice and for a while Haruki can finally relax.
In the failing light of the late afternoon, the flickering street lamp gives a warm shade to Akihiko’s skin tone and Haruki wants to bask in it. He looks even more attractive, with the way his piercings catch the light.
He closes his eyes as he relishes in the stillness of the air.
As he flicks the spent ashes into the tray nearby, a gust of wind almost blows them to his face.
“Gotta be careful not to burn your hair.” Akihiko’s hoarse voice interrupts the silence of the evening. “You've let it get so long it's dangerous."
Haruki swallows painfully and the cigarette hangs dangerously from his lips when he sees and feels Akihiko’s fingers playing with one of his honey strands.
“It would be a pity, it’s so pretty.” His voice almost goes down to a whisper and Haruki’s skin breaks out into gooseflesh. He opens his mouth, but his brain has stopped working. Probably for good this time. Hair is his weak point and Akihiko touching his hair is his ultimate weakness. He is a second away from crumbling to the floor begging for mercy.
“Would you let me braid your hair?”
Haruki opens his mouth and stammers, completely taken aback by the sudden request. He switches his cigarette to his other hand to buy some time.
“Huh? Do you even know how?” Replying to a question with a question, that says a lot. Excellent tactic.
“Yep. And I gotta say I’ve never heard any complaints.”
Of course he hasn’t. Who would ever complain while having his fingers tying up their hair? He could groan in frustration for how bad he is craving it. His hands playing with his hair, lightly brushing his nape, and his scent so close to him. It would feel like a dream.
He rolls his eyes, more at his stupid fantasies than at his shameless words.
“I’m just talking about being good with my hands.”
There we go again, he thought. This is definitely too much. He can’t listen to his brazen words without having all kinds of mental images popping up in his head without control.
He stammers and blushes as he tries to divert his focus on the smoke curling upwards from his cigarette. “Do you really have to word it this way?” he asks.
“Why not? It’s true” he huskily says, as he takes another drag.
This break is getting painfully long, Haruki can’t take it any longer.
“Let’s get back inside.” He tosses his cigarette in the tray and heads towards the entrance of the building.
Akihiko rushes behind him, immediately catching up with his long legs.
“So...” he starts, an amused smirk stretches his lips as he holds the door open for Haruki. “...will you let me show you how good I am with my hands?”
