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The air was crisp and chilly as Sousuke made his way up the mountain. His grandparents had decided to retire out in the country and he had decided to visit them during his break from university. Only he should have gotten there half an hour ago and he couldn't remember how long ago it had been since he had seen an actual house. He pulled out his phone, hoping to get a signal and frowning when he got nothing. Sousuke sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Maybe he really should have printed out a map...
Rin's eyes cracked open at the sound of faint cursing. He sat up on his elbows and tilted his head to hear the sound out more. The cursing got a little louder followed by a rustling that sounded suspiciously like pacing, Rin rose to his feet and took a peek through the branches. He saw a young man, around 20 maybe, looking utterly lost and perfect for the picking. He had short dark hair and an annoyed look on his face.
It had been a long while since anything interesting had happened around the mountain. In the past it had been very lively and people would pass through quite regularly. But that had been maybe centuries ago. The humans had built hard roads, and towns and cities in the blink of an eye. Rin had enjoyed himself blending in with the humans, seducing one or two for fun, or just becoming a part of their shifting world. But now, not so much. The only ones that remained in these parts were much older, slower, and Rin, despite being mischievous by nature, felt no pull to terrorize them, even in the nicest of ways. Rin had simply busied himself with frequently playing with their grandchildren when they came to play or sunning out in their gardens and letting his fur get warmed in the open. Rin had been sick of peace and quiet for some time, and despite his friends' advice, he didn't want to leave his mountain. Licking his lips and straightening his clothes, he assumed his human disguise before he was sauntering up to the big guy. Maybe this was the fun he'd been craving.
Running a hand through his hair, Sousuke cursed softly as he looked around. He supposed the easiest solution would be to simply turn around and walk back down the mountain. But when he turned around, the path seemed foggy, as if a haze had somehow settled in behind him without encroaching on the world in front of him.
"What the fuck...?"
He was about ready to just wander into the fog when a young man seemed to appear in front of him from out of nowhere.
The other man's red hair caught in the sunlight, shining brightly and framing his pretty face. Strange, red eyes looked up at him and sharp looking teeth peeked out from behind pink lips. For a moment, Sousuke was entranced, finding himself unable to look away the stranger. After a few moments, he finally tore his gaze away, clearing his throat to break the silence.
"Can I... help you?"
Rin smiled coyly, walking until he was just a little too much into the other man's personal space. He watched as he seemed to tense as Rin flashed his sharp teeth. It was always a personal favorite action of his to do, see the humans freak out about him, thinking he was a simply pretty boy but then get caught off guard by the teeth. His sister had rolled her eyes once and told him he was almost as childish as the humans.
"You might be able to," Rin said. "But I think it's more you that needs help? Are you lost?"
Sousuke felt his ears burn red when the man brought up being lost. While he usually vehemently denied being lost, in this situation he wasn't sure how he could find his way out. Grabbing the young man's shoulders, he pushed him back slightly, needing his personal room.
"If I was lost, I could just... head back down the mountain. Unless you know where the path went?"
Rin tried not to frown when he'd been shoved back, smile barely faltering. Snorting, Rin regarded the other man with growing amusement. If that's how he wanted to play, then Rin was ready. It'd be decades since he'd had a challenge. He'd always wanted someone who could fire him up. Rin motioned to a slightly worn path a bit away from where he'd crept up on the man.
"That way will take you back to the main road," Rin said. "It'll be the crossroads where you can either head to the sunflower field or the little Konbini this old lady owns."
Rin let his grin fall between shit-eating and predatory. "I'd be happy to show you, ah - ?" Rin prompted.
"Sousuke is fine," Sousuke responded.
There was no need to give out his family name to this strange young man, no matter how pretty he was. He took a step toward the path before pausing and looking back at the man.
"Though I suppose it wouldn't hurt if you showed me where to go," Sousuke muttered.
The last thing he needed was to get lost again. If he was using this as an excuse to spend more time with this pretty man, well, no one else needed to know that.
"What about you? I need something to call you other than 'Jaws'," he said, smirking slightly.
Rin had to pause then, breaking character to send a mild glare at the other man. He tsked as he came up to stand next to Sousuke and unconsciously shifted from "alluring" to haughty. Gou would have argued that in either role Rin was just embarrassing. Rin cleared his throat with too much effort.
"You can call me Rin," Rin said. "It's a girly name but I'm definitely a man." Mostly, Rin thought. But he doesn’t need to know that.
"Is that so? Do you say that every time you introduce yourself? Are you some kind of eccentric who lives up here all alone?" Sousuke teased.
"Shut it! It's just so there's no confusion, because people always ask," Rin shot back.
Rin started to walk on ahead, looking over his shoulder briefly as he smirked at Sousuke. "Just so you know, you're on your own if you can't keep up," Rin said, hoping he was up for a challenge.
Sousuke fell into step behind the shorter man, still smirking slightly. Maybe it wasn't the best idea to make fun of his guide but he couldn't help it. It was either that or start swooning over him and frankly, the latter option was too embarrassing.
"You think you can outrun me?" Sousuke drawled.
Rin almost felt himself gaping. Sousuke was audacious. He felt excitement beginning to course through him. He looked up into Sousuke's eyes, meeting his droopy gaze and soft, curling smirk. Rin rolled up his sleeves, and fixed Sousuke with a hot, challenging look. He made sure to bear all of his teeth as he grinned gleefully.
"I know I can outrun you," Rin said. "But I can't help but wonder if you're just going to get lost the minute I leave your ass in the dust."
Sousuke quirked an eyebrow when Rin rolled up his sleeves, trying to keep himself from staring at the well-toned arms. Was Rin an athlete as well? The thought was pushed from his mind as he processed the other man's question and he scoffed.
"I'm pretty sure those stubs you call legs won't be able to keep up with me," Sousuke shot back. With a grin, he rolled up his own sleeves and thanked the gods that he had decided to wear sneakers today.
Rin snorted and pointed ahead of them on the path. Not too far off was the base of a big tree, one of the oldest in this forest. Rin and his sister had taken shelter there for years, playing and sleeping amongst its roots. It marked the halfway point for the path until one would reach back out onto the main road. Technically speaking, Rin was showing Sousuke one of the longer ways around. He regarded Sousuke.
"See that tree? That's the finish line. First one there is the winner," Rin said. "And to even make things more interesting, we'll make a bet. Whoever wins can ask a favor of the other. Anything at all that's in their power to do. Feeling up to it, big boy?"
For a few silent moments, Sousuke regarded both Rin and the tree. Rin seemed extremely confident in his abilities to beat Sousuke in a race, though over such a short distance, Sousuke was certain he would win. He was a decent enough runner and his longer legs should get him there before Rin.
"Fine. And I agree to this bet of yours. Just don't cry when I snatch victory out of your hands."
"I won't cry!" Rin said, facing burning with embarrassment. Somewhere in his head Rin could almost hear Gou cracking up and tried to push the thought away. He was lucky she was over in the next town.
They assumed position, the seconds tense as a small breeze blew between them. Rin could feel the wind going through his hair as he listened to Sousuke's silent breath and the tensing of his muscles in anticipation.
There was something oddly freeing in doing something so childish with a complete stranger, Sousuke thought. He supposed it should bother him more, that someone like Rin could just waltz into his life and make him forget everything, but here and now, their playful race was the only thing on his mind.
"Ready?" Rin said. "GO!"
They both shot out like lightning. Dirt kicked up as they ran. Rin only had tunnel vision as he fixated on the bark of the tree. He could hear the wind racing back his ears and the sound of Sousuke's breathing at his side. At the corner of his eye he could see Sousuke's forearms pumping, his knees coming up as he matched pace. Rin took the chance to glance at him, caught off by how good Sousuke in motion, and unconsciously slowed down.
While Rin was fast, he wasn’t fast enough, as Sousuke had anticipated. Sousuke's large hand smacked the tree trunk seconds before Rin's did, marking Sousuke as the winner. He looked down at Rin, grinning a bit as he turned to lean against the tree.
Sousuke was gasping for breath as he looked at Rin, who was digging his forehead into the trunk. He took a deep breath and forced out what he wanted to say, "So... About that bet..."
Rin looked up from where he was leaning against the tree, glaring up at Sousuke as he tried to catch his breath. He had been so caught up in racing Sousuke, he'd completely forgotten for a moment that he truly wasn't human. He could have smoked this damn boy the moment he'd taken off. So why hadn't he...?
Snorting, Rin tried to play off his loss. Even more unsettling was the warm feeling Sousuke's teasing was erupting in him. He had attributed it at first to excitement but now it felt out of place. The adrenaline wasn't leaving. Rin pushed his hands into his pockets and looked away, trying to save face.
"Yeah, yeah. So what do you want, huh? Money? Someone to do some menial labor for you for a little while? A paid meal? Speak up! I don't have all day, you know!" Rin blurted.
Shit, Rin was getting flustered. When he got too flustered he talked too much. He bit his tongue and kept his gaze firmly on another tree. He was hyperaware of Sousuke shifting and tightened his fist in his pockets.
"Nah, I don't want or need any of those things." Sousuke said and waved his hand, brushing off Rin's offers. What did he want? There were plenty of things he could ask for, including the things Rin had suggested, but they were all things he could easily get on his own. Glancing at Rin out of the corner of his eye, he frowned as a thought occurred to him. It was a silly, stupid thought and there was no way Rin would agree. But there was also not a very high chance he would see Rin again, so he supposed it wouldn't hurt to ask.
"Do... Do you, ah, well, you can say no, but um," he fumbled, frowning as he words came out in a hopeless mix. "A date. I... I want a date."
Rin turned to look at Sousuke so fast he was afraid he'd break his disguise and ruin the whole moment. There was no way he'd heard right. All that confidence and teasing had made Sousuke into as big a baby as Rin was feeling Rin was far too embarrassed to even try and tease him back about it and he could feel the beginnings of a blush rising up from his neck.
"You -" Rin started, pointing at Sousuke. "A-and me?" He pointed at himself, wondering how wild he must look. "D-Date?"
"Well, there's no one else here, is there...?" Rubbing the back of his neck, Sousuke tried to avoid Rin's gaze as much as possible, hoping that his blush wasn't too noticeable. Though from how warm his face felt, he was sure Rin would be able to see it.
Seeing a similar blush on Sousuke's face, Rin thought that it was lucky there were both so alone in this forest or else they'd look like a pair of idiots. He stuttered a few more times before he was able to force out what he wanted to say. He tried to go for that haughty tone from before, but the stutter ruined everything.
"I-If that's what you really want, then so be it!" Rin said. "Let's go right now. I'll make it the best date of your life!"
Rin's reaction was surprising and Sousuke finally looked back at him, eyes wide in surprise. Rin had agreed? Not only that, but he seemed to be making it into another challenge. He felt an easy smile appearing on his face, fueled by Rin's embarrassment. It was too easy, too fun to fluster him.
"The best date of my life, hmm? Alright. Where will you take me on this apparent 'best date'?" He made air quotes with his fingers, chuckling softly when Rin threw him a petulant pout that he assumed was supposed to be a glare.
Rin shoved a finger into Sousuke's thick chest, far too pleased with how solid it felt in that moment. There was nothing not good looking about him. Shit, Rin was swooning. It was supposed to be the other way around dammit. Rin made people swoon. Damn Sousuke's stupid face, stupid smile, stupid deep voice.
"It may not be a five star restaurant, but this shop in town serves good food," Rin said, a proud feeling overtaking him. He knew this land and town like the back of his hand and he could tell Sousuke wasn't really from here. "We'll go there, and not only will the food blow you away, but you'll wish every other date after this was as good as mine," Rin swore.
He cursed himself in his head. If he was making himself flustered and babbly, he would get too caught up and make big threats he could only carry out fifty percent of the time. He wasn't even sure who was seducing whom at this point anymore.
Sousuke tried not to laugh, he really did, but a low chuckle passed his lips anyways as Rin jabbed a finger into his chest. Was he trying to be threatening? It was adorable, if Sousuke had to be honest. Especially with the constant claims that he would make this date better than any other date ever.
Rin scowled and pushed at Sousuke's upper arm to walk around the tree and on their way along the path. The first step would be to get out of the forest. Enough time, at least, for Rin to try and regain his bearings.
"Those are some strong claims, Rin," Sousuke said, still amused as he was pushed around the tree and back onto the path. "What if I like the date so much, I ask for another? Will you be able to top yourself?"
Rin pushed harder at Sousuke's back, trying to force the other man forward and keep his face hidden behind his back. He could feel his face burning red and had barely caught himself before he had spoken impulsively and said something like, "I'd rather you top me instead!" Damn those trashy novels Gou was always bringing home!
"We'll just have to see won't we?" Rin said. "Who said you would be getting another one, huh? You only won one challenge! What's to say I won't win the next? What if I don't ask for a date, huh? Maybe I'll make you treat me like the prince I am."
This time, Sousuke didn't even bother to stifle his laughter. He laughed as Rin continued to push against his back, wondering where Rin came up with these thoughts. Maybe he really was a strange, eccentric young man living in the mountains. Sousuke really could pick them.
"I look forward to the day you beat me, your highness," he snickered, looking behind him to try to get a glimpse of Rin's expression.
Rin quickly ducked his head down, fighting an urge to bury his face into Sousuke's back. His fingers dug into the fabric of Sousuke's shirt and kept on pushing him as even the tips of his ears were burning from Sousuke's laughter.
"You're smug now, asshole, but you simply caught me off guard. I wasn't even at my absolute best," Rin said.
Sousuke's laughter died down to a soft chuckle and he reached back to awkwardly pat Rin's arm. "There, there, your highness. I'm sure you'll kick my ass next time." Sousuke placated.
Maybe he should let Rin win whatever challenge he came up with next, if only to see what weird demands he'd be coming up with.
A little bit more and they would finally be out of the forest. Rin still hadn't collected himself. As retribution he wiped his sweaty hands on Sousuke's shirt.
When Rin wiped his hands on the back of Sousuke's shirt, he tried to squirm away, pouting a bit. "Don't be gross. Couldn't you have waited to wash your hands in town?" Honestly, didn't Rin have any manners?
Rin poked his head around Sousuke's arm, looking childishly smug. He popped around him the moment Sousuke's feet hit the main road.
"That's what you get for calling me highness without any real sincerity," Rin quipped. He held out a (thankfully) dry hand towards Sousuke as he pointed with the other down the pathway. If they walked for about a few minutes, they'd be out of the neighborhoods and into the main part of town. Afterwards, Rin thought to himself, he could take Sousuke walking along the beach and see the view out to sea. He'd have him swooning certainly by then, right?
“I suppose I'll call you that with sincerity after you win a challenge," he teased, taking Rin's offered hand gently. It was smaller than his own, and soft, too, and he found himself running his thumb across the back of it before he caught himself.
Clearing his throat, Sousuke looked away from Rin and out over the town. A part of him, a very big part of him, if he was honest, couldn't believe that he was doing something like this. It was reckless and stupid and he knew nothing about Rin. But a quick glance at those strange red eyes in that pretty face made him throw all those doubts out the window.
"Are you ready for the time of your life?" Rin asked.
"Ready whenever you are, I guess." It was just lunch with a cute stranger, what could go wrong?
When Sousuke's finger travelled over the back of his hand, Rin forced himself not to swoon internally. He was just pushing all of Rin's romantic buttons today. Closing his hand around Sousuke's, he let their hands drop between them. His jacket sagged and fell off exposing his shoulder. He tugged Sousuke along, hyperaware of how close they stood, the feel of Sousuke's hand flexing in his, and the tiny increase in his pulse, which almost echoed Rin's own.
"If anyone asks," Rin muttered. "We're holding hands because you're always getting lost."
"Oh? I thought holding hands was normal date behavior. Or do you mountain folk not do that?" Maybe, just maybe, if he could keep his mouth moving and focus on the conversation, he wouldn't get distracted by the way Rin's jacket slowly slipped off his shoulder, exposing pale skin not covered by the tank top he wore underneath. Damn, was Rin doing this on purpose? Did he not know how attractive he was being? Especially with how he was walking so damn close...
"And I don't always get lost,” Sousuke muttered, turning away from Rin. “You hardly know me well enough to make judgements like that."
"Yeah? Well no one who lives here just goes running around the mountain," Rin said, looking up at him. "What if I had led you astray and left you there?” He tugged Sousuke's hand a little more. They weaved through side streets, passing a sleeping cat on a wall, and an old woman who'd Rin had recognized from her younger days pulling weeds in her garden. Sousuke was giving him weird looks. It was subtle, but even Rin could see the little difference in his stoic, droopy-eyed expression.
“And who are you calling mountain folk," Rin said, huffing. " Maybe I was just going for a walk in there, huh? Who's making unnecessary judgements now?"
Sousuke rolled his eyes as he let Rin drag him along, still doing his best to avoid really looking directly at Rin. The more time he spent with him, the more Rin's beauty seemed almost otherworldly. Though that might have just been the hunger making his mind play tricks on him, he thought, frowning as his stomach growled.
"Fine, fine. You're not a mountain man. You're the almighty Prince Rin, lord of this mountain and town and all who lived in it," Sousuke said, sarcasm dripping thickly from his words. Honestly, this was one of the reasons he didn't visit his grandparents often; people in the countryside were way too different.
"And don't you forget it!" Rin huffed. Sousuke wasn't completely wrong, if Rin was being honest. The mountain was technically his, even if the humans had forgotten over time. He had still remained after all these years, him and Gou, and the weirdos from the town over that he'd befriended. Now as for the town, he wasn't so sure he'd have a claim over it anymore.
Suppressing another eye roll, Sousuke simply let Rin drag him along, enjoying the feeling of walking with someone like this. It had been a long time since he'd actually been on a date, what with university classes and swimming taking up almost all of his time. Rin's hand in his felt nice and if he allowed himself to daydream, he supposed he wouldn't mind seeing someone like Rin regularly. Unfortunately, he doubted his schedule would allow for it.
"The shop is just a little further, around the corner," Rin said. He swung their joined hands a little the closer they got, stopping abruptly at the entrance to point up at the sign.
"This has been here for generations, you know," Rin informed. "I think the food gets better and better each time."
Generations, huh? Sousuke frowned slightly at that comment before brushing it off, assuming that Rin and his family had simply lived here for many years. With a small smile, he followed Rin into the shop.
The shop was simple, with just a few people seated inside. Rin tugged Sousuke along to a seat in the back. The owner glanced up at him, looking a little startled before she grinned and shook her head. Rin pushed Sousuke down in a seat and slid into the seat across from him. He was a bit regretful to let go of Sousuke's hand.
Sousuke’s thoughts were interrupted when Rin finally pulled him into the shop, which seemed to be a small restaurant mixed with a convenience store. Letting himself be pushed into his seat, he briefly lamented the loss of Rin's hand in his own.
The serving girl, Mami, came up and passed them a menu which Rin hoarded when she tried to hand one to Sousuke. She fixed him with a perplexed look and a raised eyebrow but seemed to let it go because it was Rin. Rin smiled sheepishly at the girl and ordered a class of cola for the both of them. Mimi hummed and headed to get their drinks, setting them on the table before leaving them alone. He looked over the top of the menu, eyes crinkling as he smiled.
"You won't mind if I order for you, will you?" Rin said, sarcastically sweet.
"Mmm, I suppose not, unless you plan to get something awful for me." Sousuke said.
Rin waggled his eyebrows, "You never know. I did say I was going to blow you away."
Rin had spent less time looking at the menu and more time looking at Sousuke. He had almost spilt some of the cola on himself as he watched Sousuke glancing around at the restaurant, eye catching on the wall of customer photos the owner had collected over the years. Rin bit his lip.
"Is pork fine?" He asked, voice a little high.
"Mm, pork's fine." More than fine, if he was being honest. Maybe he'd get lucky and Rin would order him some tonkatsu... As he waited for Rin to order, his eyes scanned the restaurant, taking in the happy customers and a wall of polaroid photos. "This place seems pretty popular. I guess the food must be good."
"Good?" Rin scoffed. "Snacks are good. Their food is amazing." He called Mami over and waved for her to bend down so he could whisper his order behind his hand. She nodded and jotted it down, casting a glance at Sousuke before collecting the menus and hurrying away. Rin leaned forward to rest his elbows on the table top.
If the waitress thought Rin's behavior was strange, she didn't seem too bothered by it. Maybe he was a regular. A weird feeling coiled up in Sousuke's stomach at that thought and he idly wondered if Rin did this often. He turned his attention back to Rin when the other man spoke again.
"I have a new challenge for you," Rin said. "If the food really isn't up to your liking, I'll.....take you on another date. I'll even let you pick a place to make up for it." Rin rested his chin in his hands. "If the food is as good as I say it is, you'll have to do any one thing I want at any point during our date. How about it?"
The bet seemed fair enough, even if Rin seemed a bit mischievous. "Fine. I'll take the bet but on the condition that I can say no if your request is too weird. Who knows what kind of a things a prince will ask of a lowly peasant like me." Sousuke leaned forward, mimicking Rin's posture as he smirked a bit.
Rin leaned forward until he was almost biting at Sousuke's nose when he was speaking. "The goal's to woo you right? Make this the best date of your life? Believe me when I say it'll only be in benefit of you, my dear lowly peasant."
Sousuke was sure he heart had stopped for a brief moment when Rin crowded into his personal space, his face so close that Sousuke could feel him speak. He knew he face was probably a brilliant red at this point and he sat back quickly, trying to regain his composure. "I... I see."
When the food arrived, he was sure he had never been so happy to see a pork dish before in his life. At least this way, he could stuff his face instead of worrying about talking and making a complete fool of himself.
Rin moved back when the food came, seizing a piece of pork from Sousuke's plate quickly before digging into his own food. The owner had never let him down before. Not in all his years of coming to the place and sitting amongst friends and family and laughing the night away.
He had to pause when he looked at Sousuke, digging into the food and stuffing his cheeks full like a squirrel. Rin was glad he'd invested in a phone a long time ago, but was unsure if he could get away with snapping a picture of Sousuke inhaling his food.
"Are you even tasting it?" Rin laughed. "It’s cheating if you don't even savor it. Here, have a bite of mine." Rin picked up the food and held the chopsticks up before Sousuke's mouth.
"Of course I'm tasting it," he muttered, realizing that he was attempting to just inhale the food so he could avoid talking and making a fool of himself. Though that plan flew out the door when Rin offered to feed him. Pushing down another wave of embarrassment, he wondered if Rin really was taking this wooing thing seriously.
A thought crossed his mind and he smirked a bit, leaning forward. "If your highness insists." Sousuke took the food in his mouth, pulling off the chopsticks slowly. His eyes stayed on Rin the entire time as he pulled back, licking a bit of sauce off his lips. "You're right. The food really is good."
Rin choked on his own spit, face flaming as he pulled his chopsticks back to him. He picked around at his food, suddenly embarrassed about having to use them again.
"You've admitted defeat then?" Rin said. "Don't think I won't cash in on our bet." It was too soon for these urges. He still had much of the date left. Rin hesitated before taking a bite of his own food. He'd suffice with this at least for now.
Rin's reaction was better than Sousuke expected and he grinned to himself, watching as Rin became suddenly very preoccupied with his meal. Well, at least he could get revenge whenever Rin flustered him if the other male got this easily embarrassed.
"I've admitted defeat. Besides, I'm curious to see what you'll come up with," he said, watching Rin.
"Just finish your damn food!" Rin bit out.
They ate in relative silence after that, with Rin glancing up at Sousuke now and then. He watched Sousuke eating, the looks of satisfaction flashing over his face, and how his eyes dropped occasionally when a particular piece of food appealed to him. Rin stretched his leg out and accidentally brushed legs with Sousuke under the table.
Sousuke was thankful that the rest of the meal was uneventful. He wasn't sure how much more teasing either of them could take at this point in time. So when Rin's leg brushed against his, he startled a bit before forcing himself to calm down.
"Are you ready for part two, then?" Rin said.
"Of course, your highness." Alright, so maybe he could still tease Rin a bit.
Rin drew his leg back and dug his toes into Sousuke's thighs. "Shut it, you!" Rin dropped the cash onto the table top and pulled on Sousuke's ear as he passed him by. He waited a moment, considering, before holding his hand out again.
"Up, you big jerk, I still have another thing I'm sure will make you cave," Rin said
Sousuke simply snickered, getting up and taking the offered hand. "My prince sure is brutal," he teased, squeezing Rin's hand gently. "So, where are we going now, your highness? Or is it a surprise in an attempt to completely woo me?"
"Just shut up and let me lead," Rin grumbled.
Rin nodded to the owner and the serving girl as he dragged Sousuke out of the shop. Sousuke's grip was firm around Rin's hand. They bumped shoulders as they walked, sometimes barely fitting on the sidewalk when someone else came along. The walk to the beach was short, and just in time, too. Rin let go of Sousuke's hand and walked backwards as he beckoned for Sousuke to follow after him. Sousuke wordlessly trailed after him, eyes wide open. Rin held out his arms as the sun set behind him.
"So what do you think? Pretty great, right?" Rin said, laughing.
As they walked, Sousuke smiled softly, thinking that he could get used to something like this. If only his university wasn't all the way in Tokyo... His attention drifted, so when Rin let go of his hand and his feet his sand, he was startled.
Looking up, his eyes widened as the sun started sinking below the horizon. The soft light made Rin's hair glow like a fiery halo around his head and Sousuke couldn't help the soft gasp that slipped past his lips.
"Romantic right?" Rin asked. "A walk on the beach with yours truly." He held out his hand for Sousuke to take again.
Sousuke took Rin's hand when it was offered again, squeezing it gently. "You're beautiful..."
Rin faltered, ducking his head. It wasn't as if he hadn't heard that before over the time he'd been alive. It was at the point where he was pretty aware of it himself. But in Sousuke's presence, Rin felt so small, so humble despite his words. He had reveled in compliments before, but never truly bought them. Only this time, Rin finally let it sink in. He squeezed Sousuke's hand and reached to for his other hand as well.
"I guess that means I've successfully wooed you, huh?" Rin said softly.
"I suppose you have," Sousuke said, voice just as soft as he gently held both of Rin's hands. He ran his thumbs over the backs of them, smiling softly. "Maybe it's a good thing I got lost today, hm?"
Rin raked his eyes up from Sousuke's chest to his face and held his gaze for a while. Really, though, wasn't it Sousuke that was the beautiful one? Making Rin's heart run a mile a minute like some silly little human. He dislodged one hand and let it cup the side of Sousuke's face, running a thumb over his lower lip.
"I've decided what I wanted from our bet," Rin said. He moved his hand to grip the back of Sousuke's head and push him down to meet him halfway as he stood up on his toes.
Sousuke stilled when Rin touched his face, leaning his head into Rin's hand. His heart started hammering away in his chest as Rin's thumb touched the sensitive skin of his lips and he looked at Rin a silent question in his eyes. When Rin’s hand moved to his hair, he didn’t need to ask what Rin wanted; he simply leaned down when Rin prompted him, moving closer to the other man.
Rin watched Sousuke's eyes drift to a close, his breath unsteady as he bent closer, closer. He shuffled until he was nearly flush chest to chest with him. Just as Sousuke's lips were about to touch his, Rin tightened his hold in Sousuke's hair, making sure not to cause him any pain, just to pause.
"My request is," Rin started. "For you to come back and see me again." He looked down. "Please," he added.
The grip in his hair brought Sousuke to an immediate pause and he frowned as he opened his eyes. "You... That’s your request?" Sousuke's frown only deepened when Rin looked away. Was... Was he shy? After all that teasing?
With a huff, Sousuke pulled Rin close, tilting his head up and pressing a kiss to those soft, pink lips. Rin's eyes widened, the warm pressure of Sousuke's lips against his. Sousuke felt Rin gasp and he pulled back after a short moment, not wanting to push himself on Rin. Sousuke closed his eyes to collect his thought for a moment, hands tightening in the fabric of Rin's hoodie. He huffed a bit and smiled sheepishly as he spoke.
"I suppose I'll have to come up with excuses to visit my grandparents."
Rin stared at Sousuke's figure, swearing he saw a blush rising up on his cheeks. Rin critically eyed Sousuke's body language, the way he spoke his words, looking for any semblance of a lie that he was simply leading him on, that he shouldn't try to hope past this. He lightly pounded at Sousuke's chest with his fist when everything had finally settled in. He wasn't lying. Everything seemed to melt away and his disguise melted with it. Atop his head sat a pair of big, red fox ears, and a curling tail swept down his legs, stopping at the back of his ankles.
Sousuke's eyes traveled back up to Rin's and he froze. Time seemed to stop. He had been expecting shock, yes, but not... whatever had just happened to Rin. His eyes widened as he stared at Rin, trying to take in what he was seeing. Ears...? And a tail? A very fluffy one, from what he could see.
Rin quickly backtracked, heel catching and sliding on the sand. Rin dug his other foot down trying to keep his balance as he tried to escape from Sousuke's grip.
Before Sousuke could properly react, Rin was suddenly out of his arms, stumbling backwards in the sand. Reaching out, he grabbed his arm so he wouldn't fall and pulled Rin back against his chest in one swift motion.
"Rin...? I... You... You have ears.”
Rin struggled, pushing at Sousuke's chest with his free hand as he began trying to make a break for it. "Don't look, idiot! Let me go, let me go!" Rin said, frantic. "Shit, I've ruined everything. Forget you ever saw anything." Rin shoved again, not wanting to have to hurt Sousuke if he didn't let him go.
"Rin, hey, it's... it's okay. I mean, it's weird, sure, but... well, you always seemed a little weird to me." He tried to lighten the mood, ignoring the frantic shoving against his chest. "Please just talk to me?"
Rin's ears drooped and his tail tucked. "You're an even bigger idiot than I thought," he said, not meaning it. "You go running around in a forest with a guy you don't know, let him take you on a date and then don't freak out when he's not human. What kind of idiot are you, Sousuke?" Rin peeked up from Sousuke's chest. "I'm not human. This can't work."
"I guess I'm the biggest idiot in the world. But I don't really care. You're the one who did all this stuff to woo me." He bit his lip, thinking for a moment. "Was it just a game for you...? What are you, then? Other than someone who's thrown my emotions into total disarray today?"
Sousuke wasn't sure how he should feel about this, if that were true. Maybe Rin had just been messing with him...
"No! Not really. Maybe. At first. It was a game at first, I admit," Rin said. "It’s what we do. K-Kitsune. That's what I am. That's what we do." Rin heaved a big breath. "But, to be honest, the longer I spent with you today, the less it was just for - I really enjoyed being around you. I don't think I've ever felt so excited in a long time. Finally someone who'd challenge me, and not take any of my shit, and match me - I - I liked it."
As Rin spoke, Sousuke stayed quiet, simply listening to his explanation. Rin was a kitsune? Well, the certainly did explain his mischievous attitude... And it wasn't like he could really judge Rin on the change in feelings. He'd felt the same, if he was being honest with himself.
Rin was fretting heavily. This was it, Sousuke would leave for sure. Who wouldn't after someone admitted they had played with their feelings for fun? But Rin had wanted to be truthful, at least. He owed him that, considering it was Sousuke that had changed his mind so thoroughly.
"Do you believe me?" Rin finally asked.
"I believe you," he said softly, reaching up to ruffle Rin's hair and being careful not to touch the fox ears in case Rin didn't like that. "If I'm being truthful, I'm not normally like this either. You just... I don't know, did something to me that just made me feel really comfortable around you. Not even my best friend got me to relax this much in only a day."
Rin's soft laugh sounded a little watery, and he supposed he had started to tear up in the time he waited for Sousuke to answer. Burying his face in Sousuke's chest, he exhaled loudly. He used the fabric to wipe at his eyes, feeling a bit of his old smile returning.
"Where does that leave you and me now, then?" Rin said against his chest. "Do you - Do you still want to see me? Even if it may be like this?"
He reached for Sousuke's hand and placed it atop his head as he spoke. He maneuvered his fingers to gently brush against the ears and he tightened a fist into Sousuke's shirt. It felt funny having them touched, what with how sensitive they were where Sousuke's thumb landed...
Sousuke watched carefully as Rin took his hand and placed it on his hand. He tensed slightly when his fingers touched one of the ears but when Rin seemed alright with it, he gently scratched the base of it.
"I do, if that's alright with you." Sousuke kept his voice soft, feeling his heart ache at the tremble in Rin's voice. The fact that he had caused this only upset him further. With his free hand, he pulled Rin closer, trying to comfort him.
Rin hugged back, his tail swishing behind him. It felt good in Sousuke's arms. He wanted to stay as long as he could, as long as Sousuke would be staying. He nudged at Sousuke's jaw until he was looking at him, and bit his lip a bit shyly.
At the persistent nudging, Sousuke chuckled a bit and looked down at Rin. "Yes, your highness?"
"I have a new challenge for you," Rin said. "We start over from the beginning and you let me woo you properly instead. If I win....maybe I can go with you wherever you're going back to. If you win -?"
Sousuke chuckled again when Rin proposed another challenge. "Fine. We'll have another challenge. But if I win, you can still come back with me. Tokyo is a lot bigger than here, though, but my apartment is lonely with just me in it."
"Idiot! Don't steal my idea!" Rin cried. "At least be a bit original. As if there was any doubt that I would obviously win."
Unable to help himself, Sousuke started to laugh. "You really think you'll win this challenge? Well, if you're so sure, it shouldn't matter what my idea is, right?" Snickering, he ruffled Rin's hair, still being careful with the ears.
Rin smoothed a hand to Sousuke's chest, grinning widely. He schooled his appearance back to his human persona, the thought at the back of his mind nagging that it was still unsafe to run around with them out.
"This date is still not over, technically. You better get one last request in before we wipe the slate clean and I sweep you off your feet."
Sousuke raised an eyebrow before smiling softly. "Mmm, one last request? Then... How about a proper kiss?"
Rin's grinned smugly, cupping both sides of Sousuke's face with his hands and pulling him down. "I suppose I can humor that," Rin said. "You deserve that much at least."
He didn't give Sousuke a chance to comment, no doubt something snarky that would have made Rin bristle and squirm all at once. He kissed him until he was sure there was no other thought in Sousuke's head but pressing close to Rin and tangling his big hands in bright red hair.