Chapter Text
Kaito was sitting on the floor, recounting to Meiko about some drama at work that certainly did not involve him. She lounged on the sofa as he talked, giving comments here and there.
It was an ongoing saga, one they both found humorous, or at least only Kaito did at this moment, because Meiko was clearly starting to zone out.
“What a lunatic!” he said indignantly. “Can you believe he did that?”
“Yeah,” came her robotic response.
He spun around to look at her, and she was staring blankly at the blackness of the TV screen. It appeared as if she were watching some imaginary movie in her head that was so captivating it snatched her attention away from his story.
“Mei-chan?” he called.
“Yeah.”
“Were you listening to what I said?”
“Yeah.”
“Oh, you’re in trouble now!” He grinned as he got up and scarily advanced swiftly towards her. She snapped out of it, but before she could react, his hands shot out to stab and prod at her sides, to her utmost horrification.
“AHAHA— Kaito- HAHA- Stop! GAHAHAHA—! AAAAAAAAAAA——“ she shrieked, squirming and wriggling like an agonised worm on a frying pan.
“Not until you swear to give me your undivided attention!”
Her arms flew about, trying to pry his arachnidian fingers off her body, but it was no use as he pinned her down and relentlessly attacked her with his tickling.
“Okay, okay! Stop!! HAGHHAHAHAHA—! NOW!!”
“Only if you— OW !”
Without warning, her fist greeted his face warmly, sending him reeling in pain.
“Oh my god, I’m so sorry!” Meiko gasped. “Are you okay? I didn’t mean to hit that hard!”
Kaito staggered backward, clutching his cheek. “Ow… ow, ow, ow,” he muttered, blinking through the sting. His vision swam for a moment as he gingerly prodded the spot where Meiko’s knuckles had landed.
“I’m so sorry!” Meiko said again. “I just— You wouldn’t stop! And I panicked!”
“No, no, it’s okay,” Kaito said in a strained voice. “I probably deserved it.”
His fingers hovered over the tender spot on his cheek, expecting a sharp pain. Instead he felt a strange, warm thrum. It wasn’t pleasant, exactly. But actually… it kinda was?
He shook his head to clear the thought. It was probably just the adrenaline.
Meiko’s eyes narrowed. “Are you sure you’re okay? You look weird.”
“I always look weird,” he deflected. “Don’t worry, Mei-chan. It might bruise, but I’ll survive.”
Her frown deepened. “No, but you’re like, smiling weirdly.”
“What? Like this?” he asked, smiling his usual friendly smile.
“No, now that’s different,” she said, shaking her head. “You were smiling weirdly the whole time after I punched you.”
“Like this?” He grinned wider, baring his teeth like a chimpanzee. “This is just my normal smile!”
“Nevermind.” Meiko wasn’t buying it, but she let it go. She ran her hand along his cheek, lightly touching the injured spot. “I guess that’s what you get for tickling me.”
“Yeah,” Kaito said absently, leaning into her touch and relishing the residual stinging warmth in his skin. Wait, what?
***
The next morning, Kaito stood in front of his bathroom mirror, brushing his teeth, when his gaze caught the faint purplish mark on his cheekbone. Flashbacks of Meiko knocking the lights out of him popped into his mind. He lowered the toothbrush and poked the bruise experimentally.
A jolt of pain shot through his face.
He inhaled sharply. Then exhaled slowly.
Then he poked it again.
Ow.
He blinked at his reflection. His face felt hot.
What the hell?
***
That evening, Meiko stopped by his apartment, presenting him with takeout from his favourite katsudon place.
“I felt bad for punching you,” she said through a mouthful of pork. “So I got you dinner as compensation.”
“Aw, you didn’t have to–”
“Yes, I did. I hit you like you owed me money.”
Kaito laughed. “Well, I was being annoying.”
“You always are,” she joked wryly. “That was just my limit.”
He grinned and rubbed his bruised cheek. His fingers lingered a bit too long.
Meiko’s eyes flicked towards his hand. “ Why are you still touching that?”
He froze. “What? I’m not– I’m just– it’s sore.”
“You’ve been poking it all night.”
“No I haven’t.”
“Yes you have.”
“No I haven’t.”
“I’m literally watching you do it right now.”
Kaito yanked his hand away like he’d been caught red handed. “It’s nothing,” he said in a voice that was definitely not an octave too high.
Her eyes narrowed. She had an inexplicable suspicion about him ever since she landed that punch, but the notion had felt far too absurd, even for Kaito, so she didn’t bother dwelling on it any further. But right now, Kaito was doing the exact opposite of disproving her speculations.
Before she could think about it, she decided she’d just cut to the chase then and there.
“Kaito,” she said impassively, her face completely straight.
He gulped. “Yeah?”
“Did you like it?”
His whole face turned red. “ What? ”
“Did you like it when I hit you?” she enunciated, still in a completely deadpan manner.
“No!” His voice cracked mid-sentence. “That’s insane! Why would you– who would– I mean– that’s just– that’s sick ! I don’t–” He clamped his mouth shut.
For a moment there was dead silence as his eyes furiously darted anywhere but at her.
Meiko’s frame shook a little, looking like she was trying to hold in a laugh. “Oh my god,” she choked out, before exploding into full-blown cackling.
Kaito deflated, covering his face in shame. “Stop. Please stop.”
“You’re a freak!” she laughed, leaning forward and repeatedly banging her hand on the table from habit whenever she came across something especially hilarious. “You get off on pain!”
“No, I don’t!” he protested vehemently, his face on fire. “It’s just— I was curious! It’s, like, a… science thing! You know, endorphins and stuff!”
“Sure, sure,” she said, wiping a tear from her eye. “I bet that’s what all masochists say at first.”
“I’m not—“ He buried his face in his hands and groaned. “I want to die.”
Meiko’s laughing subsided, her expression softening slightly. “Don’t worry, I won’t judge.”
“Really?”
“—much.”
Kaito peeked through his fingers. “Much?”
“Well, you did keep poking a bruise like some freak.”
“Mei-chan, let’s just stop talking about this.”
“Okay,” she agreed, then stood up. “I’m gonna get a beer. Want one?”
"Yeah, sure.”
As she passed behind him, she chummily gave him a slap on the back. Hard.
Kaito jolted and sucked in a sharp breath. His eyes went wide. Meiko stopped in her tracks, slowly turning her head to look at him.
He froze. They locked eyes. Neither said a word.
Meiko turned back around and continued walking to the fridge, pretending she hadn’t noticed anything.
***
Kaito was sprawled across the sofa, tossing a ball as he absently talked to Meiko who was doing some stuff on her phone.
“Mei-chan, did you know that ducks can sleep with one eye open?”
“Really?”
"It’s called uni… uni-something sleep. Basically, half their brain stays awake to keep alert for predators.”
“Fascinating.”
“Yes. Imagine if you could do that. You could work and nap at the same time. Maybe you’d finally finish your songs without procrastinating.”
Meiko looked up and side-eyed him, irked by his offhand comment. “You’re one to talk. Aren’t you supposed to be marking papers right now?” (Kaito's a primary school teacher)
He froze, and the ball dropped to the floor and rolled away. “Um, I’m taking a break.”
“You’ve been fiddling with that ball for half an hour,” she pointed out.
“You’re the one who’s distracting me, Mei-chan,” he argued. “Sitting there and talking to me like that for the past half hour.”
She shot him a look of outrage. “Hey, wait a minute—“
“Anyway,” he interrupted gleefully. “What are we having for dinner?”
“A knuckle sandwich,” she muttered under her breath.
“Oh yeah …” he sighed rapturously without thinking.
Meiko bolted upright and snapped her head towards him. “ WHAT THE FUCK??! ”
Kaito’s face instantly turned red as he realised what he said, a look of utter mortification overcoming him. “Wait! NO! I didn’t—! I didn’t mean it like—!”
She held up her fist. “Do you actually want me to punch you?!”
“No, no, no! No! It just slipped out, I swear!”
“Yeah? My fist might ‘slip’ out too.”
“HELP! Mei-chan’s becoming a violent maniac!!” he cried, hiding his face behind a pillow.
Meiko cracked her knuckles as she grinned wickedly. “Say ‘oh yeah’ again. I dare you.”
“Haha. Ha. No thanks. I’d like to keep all my teeth intact.”
“Hey, you’re the one who’s into it, not me! Weirdo.”
Yeah, no argument there, he thought.