Work Text:
Hajime awakens when the first rays of sunshine poke through the blinds. It's quiet in the early minutes of morning, and he can hear his own heartbeat and the heartbeat of the person who is holding him ever so gently.
Waking up next to someone had surprised him, maybe just a little, but once he'd realized who it was, and remembered how they'd gotten here, his surprise had turned to fondness; a strange, warm sensation in his breast he has no real name for. Kenzaki is warm underneath him, a comforting presence, and his arms are wrapped possessively around Hajime in a hug. Hajime isn't entirely sure what to do, what he's supposed to say, if he's supposed to wake Kenzaki or simply get up on his own like nothing had happened between them.
But something has happened between them, and it's too late to take that back.
He doesn't mind. It's quite the opposite, actually: what had happened between them... He's glad they've been given the chance to grow closer, to learn more about one another and, though it is a surprise to him, to perform the very human act of falling in love.
Kenzaki shifts under him on the couch, cradling Hajime's head to his chest. Hajime sighs. How is he supposed to get up when Kenzaki is like this? When all of him wants to stay in this embrace for as long as he can? He takes in the rise and fall of Kenzaki's chest, his gentle breathing a lullaby to rock Hajime back to sleep. But it's a little too late now, even though the rhythm of Kenzaki's breathing and his heartbeat are a dangerously calming combination. No, he's awake, but he's not going to move.
He makes little notes in his mind, of the curve of Kenzaki's jaw, of the way he snores (very softly. It's barely audible now, but maybe in a few years it will be more of a noise), of the calm, contented expression that is so often missing from his face but is finally resting there, and in that moment Hajime wonders if Kenzaki is as happy as he is right now, as happy about them being together as he has become over the past few months. The emotions that consume him in the early hours of the dawn are fully human, new and strange and wonderful, and there is a part of Hajime that wishes to feel this way forever. He could watch Kenzaki sleep forever, content and safe and warm.
But all things must eventually come to an end, and Kenzaki shifts underneath him, blinking into awareness.
He seems startled at the weight resting against his chest as well, but surprise swiftly turns into a small smile.
"Morning, cute Hajime," he says with a yawn, adjusting himself so he can brush a few stray strands of hair off of Hajime's face. "Did you sleep well?"
Hajime nods, looking down at him. He's not sure he has the words to describe the Kenzaki of this moment, with the sunlight filtering through the window to illuminate his face and the messy hair that gets into his eyes so easily; the way he shows his teeth when he laughs. “Yes, I slept well,” he replies after a time. He’s still busy staring at Kenzaki, but he must have done something wrong because Kenzaki’s smile falters.
“You…are you…” He shifts, like he might pull his hands back to himself. “Are you alright? Do you, you know, is this-“
Hajime silences him with a swift kiss.
"I'm glad," he says, "if a little surprised that you would want to...with something like me..."
Kenzaki pulls him back down for an actual kiss, his hand cupping Hajime's cheek. Hajime is careful not to press down too hard, lest he hurt Kenzaki. When they finally pull apart, Kenzaki is grinning.
"Of course I want to be like this with you. You're Hajime, right? That's what matters." Hajime is good at hearing the lies that humans tell through the wavering of their voices and subtle physical tics (honestly, they're still pretty primitive as a species), but Kenzaki isn't lying. He's being completely serious.
Hajime wants to kiss him again out of gratitude and that warm, soft emotion that has taken ahold of him so often recently, but he settles for snuggling into Kenzaki's chest instead, the other boy's hand in his hair, stroking gently.
"We should get up, soon," he murmurs against Kenzaki's chest. "There is work."
Kenzaki hums in agreement, but he makes no move to rise.
Minutes later, his voice cuts the silence:
"I've never stayed the night, you know." He sounds nervous. Hesitant.
"I know," Hajime replies. He's heard about some of Kenzaki's relationships from Koutaro, about his tendency to never stay the night or contact someone again. The word "heartbreaker" had been tossed around a few times, but Hajime had been unable to see it. Kenzaki had always been kind to him, a horrible monster, so why would he ever push others away? He'd thought it strange that Kenzaki had been like this until he learned that the other was afraid of getting close to others, and letting others get close to him. It had surprised Hajime to learn that, despite his cheerful demeanor, Kenzaki didn't really have very many close friends or people he could confide in.
But that was about to change, and he was determined to make it so. Even if Kenzaki had no one else, Hajime would be there by his side, able to comfort him and listen to his worries. He would be the person Kenzaki could come home to, someone who could share his pain.
The thoughts are sudden and very, very human, and they startle Hajime with their intensity. He has never wanted anything like this, or even thought about something like this, so why now? Why at this time?
Kenzaki pokes him in the ribs. "We really should get up. Don't you need to-"
Hajime is afraid Kenzaki is going to tell him to leave, so he swiftly interjects with, "I can make us both coffee, first."
Kenzaki pauses for a moment. It seems he's equally thrown by Hajime's desire to stay by his side a little longer. But his confusion gives way to soft laughter. "Good. Then I'll make breakfast."
It takes a little bit of work to disentangle themselves from one another. The couch is small enough that it's difficult to have two people on it, and more difficult to get them both off without just toppling over. Hajime is very careful to not press down too hard on Kenzaki (though there is a moment where he ends up pressing on the other's stomach and getting a giggle in response), and eventually they manage.
Hajime rises to his feet, stretching gingerly. He's a little sore from last night, which is strange; he rarely even gets sore after battles any more, probably because of how often he's fighting. But this...well, he supposes he's never really done anything quite like it before.
Kenzaki gets to his feet with a little more ease, hopping up next to Hajime to pull him into another swift kiss. It takes Kenzaki only a split second to steal his breath away once more and leave him alone and dazed in the room.
Hajime goes racing after him, unsure why they're running through the house at the crack of dawn, at why Kenzaki is laughing, but he catches up to the other easily enough.
He's not sure what playful impetus overtakes him, what strange impulse makes him jump onto Kenzaki's shoulders like a hunting cat and tackle him to the kitchen floor. Kenzaki yelps as he goes down, a mess of limbs and hair. They land with a thud and a laugh, Kenzaki rolling back around to up Hajime's face in his hands.
"Silly Hajime," he says, gently bringing Hajime's head down to his so their foreheads are touching. They stay like that for a moment, two idiot children in love on a kitchen floor, before they both seem to remember that this isn't just Kenzaki's house, that Koutaro or Hirose could catch them at any time. Not that it matters much if they are near one another or not: they're both dressed only in sweatpants (Hajime in a pair of Kenzaki's, with the ankles rolled up because he doesn't feel like tripping and it's really not fair that Kenzaki is so tall), and damningly bare-chested. Hirose and Koutaro aren't stupid, and would probably figure out what had happened with just one glance. Not that either particularly cares about that. They're young and in love: why should they have to hide it?
They stand up and straighten out, smiling fondly as Hajime wanders off to make the coffee and Kenzaki rushes about to gather whatever ingredients he needs to make breakfast.
But they're never too far from one another, and even the tiny kitchen seems too large when they're at opposite ends.
Hajime has gotten good at making coffee since he started at the Jacaranda. He can even make the fancy drinks because Amane had insisted on him being able to make a latte with different pictures. He's not the most talented, but he can manage simple shapes, so putting a heart on Kenzaki's latte is not at all difficult.
He stares at the drink for a moment, thinking that if he had to do this for anyone else it would simply be disgusting and demeaning, but for Kenzaki it's somehow different. He's...in love, even though an immortal creature that does nothing but fight and kill should not be able to feel such tender emotions growing in his chest. He should have cut them out and spent no more time thinking on them, but...
But becoming more human meant feeling human emotions, and what was more human than feelings of tenderness for another living being, regardless of whether or not the feelings were romantic? He should have known he was doomed when he'd started caring for Amane, the child he would never be able to have, as Undead did not produce offspring. He'd come to think of her as his daughter... And of Kenzaki as his mate, though that was perhaps a simplistic view of things. Perhaps it would be better to say that their souls resonated at a similar frequency, calling out to one another, and their bodies had not choice but to obey.
He's so caught up in his own thoughts that he doesn't hear Kenzaki sneak up behind him to nudge him in the ribs.
"Hajime?" he asks, voice uncomfortably close to Hajime's neck, and Hajime startles.
Kenzaki laughs softly, pressing himself a little closer. "The pancakes are done, if you want some."
Pancakes?
Hajime turns and stands on his tiptoes, peeking over Kenzaki's shoulder to see what exactly a panned cake is. It's an awfully flat thing, it turns out, though there is a large stack of them on a plate.
"They're good!" Kenzaki insists. "You should try them."
Hajime nods, picking up the coffees he'd made. Kenzaki looks down and sees the little heart on one of them. A smile creeps onto his face, and he's probably right about to say something embarrassing as Hajime shoves the coffee into his chest.
"This is for you," he mumbles. "Take it and go sit down."
Kenzaki doesn't need to be told twice, and he scampers off.
When Hajime makes it over to the table with his plate of pancakes and his own coffee he notices it's been set already. Kenzaki is strangely domestic, from time to time, and Hajime is reminded of how he sometimes cleans up without being prompted, or how he seems to know his way around a kitchen. He's not as good of a cook as Hajime has become, of course, but for someone whose job isn't in food service Kenzaki can hold his own.
They eat in silent, comfortable companionship. The pancakes are actually delicious, fluffy and warm and lightly spiced. They're better with something called syrup that Kenzaki drenches his in, though Hajime only puts a tiny bit onto his plate. It's awfully sweet and horridly sticky, and he wonders how awful cleaning the dishes will be with this stuff everywhere.
Hajime eats pancake after pancake until he's not sure he could eat anything else, but they're good, and Kenzaki had taken the time to make them. He enjoys Kenzaki's cooking immensely, even if it's incredibly simple most of the time. The taste reminds him of something he can't really put his finger on, though... It feels a little bit like going home, he thinks.
Kenzaki smiles at him from across the table and he feels his heart clench. Could every morning of theirs be like this, to be shared and enjoyed together?
Perhaps, Hajime thinks, a smile slowly appearing on his own face.
"What are you thinking about?" Kenzaki asks. "You've got that smile on your face again."
Hajime chuckles. "I am just enjoying the time we've gotten to spend together this morning, and wondering if we will get the chance to do so again, soon." He hesitates, eyes flickering down to his empty plate. Hajime traces the patterns on the ceramic with his fork. "I enjoy...waking up next to you, even if you sleep on a couch and it is too small for both of us. I like that we can eat breakfast together, like those who are in families do." He, Haruka, and Amane often eat breakfast together and it's a strange ritual he's come to enjoy. So many human rituals involve food! he thinks. Not that Hajime minds, when the food is good, but it's still a little strange.
"Are...are you sure?" Kenzaki asks. "I mean, I'm not a good cook? And Hirose and Koutaro live here, too, so-"
"So you are more than welcome to stay the night at my place, as long as you are quiet," Hajime says. "I have a real bed."
Kenzaki has to laugh. "Okay, sure. Are you sure Haruka and Amane won't mind?"
Hajime pauses, thinking. Haruka is strangely insightful, for a human, and she'd noticed his feelings for Kenzaki perhaps before he had. She's brought up their relationship a few times, only ever in vague terms, but enough that Hajime is convinced she knows about the two of them. Haruka has been in love before, he reminds himself, and still is, though her mate is long dead. It's heartbreaking and beautiful all at once, the human capacity to love long after the loss has occurred. Will he be able to do that, when all of the friends he has made are in cold, deep graves?
He doesn't know yet, and it's not even a possibility he's gong to entertain. What has Koutaro said before? Live in the moment? He can try that.
"They won't mind," he insists. "And I live in the basement, so they won't be able to hear much of anything, either." He smirks knowingly at Kenzaki, who has the good graces to blush.
"L-look here!" he says, "We didn't even make that much noise, I made sure of it!"
"That time, we didn't," Hajime says with a chuckle. "Ah, but who knows about the next time? Perhaps I will-"
"Don't finish that!" Kenzaki squawks. "You're not supposed to know about these things, yet! Where did you learn how to flirt?"
"I've heard you speak, you know," Hajime says. "I am just repeating things I've heard you mention."
"Don't do that!" Kenzaki is nearly shouting. "Oh my god, you'll be the death of me if you keep saying those things with that sort of face!"
"What's the matter with my face?"
"It's too serious! No one should be so serious when they're talking about this sort of thing!"
"Oh?" Hajime tries to make his face less serious, but the smile he manages is more of a grimace, and Kenzaki just ends up laughing again.
"Look, it's okay! It's who you are, and that's alright. You don't have to try to flirt for my sake, you know," Kenzaki insists, his voice going soft. "I already love you, you don't have to convince me."
Hajime feels his cheeks flush. "And I...As well."
Neither can look at the other for a few moments. Kenzaki gets up and clears the table, washing the dishes as Hajime finally finds the will to move and begins to tidy the kitchen.
They wander back upstairs in silence to get dressed for the day. Kenzaki wordlessly passes Hajime a shirt.
"People will talk if you're wearing the same outfit you did yesterday," he says.
Hajime puffs his chest out, defiant.
"They will also talk if I am in your clothes," he says, snatching the shirt out of Kenzaki's hands before the other can react. Kenzaki seems to realize, and he begins to protest when Hajime finishes with, "Let them."
Swiftly, he grabs Kenzaki by the front of his shirt and pulls him in for a kiss, pressing up on his tiptoes. It's really unfair how tall the other is, but Kenzaki being a little large is nice when they're snuggled up together in bed, so he supposes he doesn't really mind that much.
"I love you," he says when they break apart, Kenzaki looking dazed. "They'll figure it out eventually, anyway. But I don't mind--I want to spend this time with you."
Kenzaki's face breaks out in an honest smile. "Me too," he says. "I want to spend the rest of my time with you." He reaches out and pulls Hajime in for a hug, cradling the other against his chest. "But for now..."
"Work," Hajime says with a sigh, gathering his things and slipping on his shoes. "If there is another fight, I suppose I'll see you then."
"Yeah," Kenzaki replies, attempting to brush his fluffy hair into submission (with little success). If not... If not, I'll see you tonight?"
It feels weird to say, and feels even stranger when Hajime replies, "I'll see you tonight." But there's something about it that's too right for either of them to argue with, even as they part ways for the day.
After all, it's only a matter of hours before their paths will meet again. They have their whole lives ahead of them, to spend together, and Hajime couldn't be happier. He wonders, briefly, if Kenzaki feels the same.
But as he heads off through the front door he glances back. Kenzaki is watching him go; their eyes meet, and he knows the truth.
Hajime smiles to himself, happier than he thinks he's ever been. They have one another. They have eternity. And that's enough.