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“I wonder what kissing is like” blurts out Akane. “It looks so weird but people must find that special enough if they do it so often, right?”
He turns to Aoto who was already seated on the couch again with his cup, absentmindedly staring at the ice cube inside twirling and shrinking. Akane wonders if it was for the better he wasn’t paying much attention to this ramble.
“According to TV, it’s like a signature thing in a relationship. Like, the man should make a move and kiss the woman of his dreams, there’s birds chirping, happy babies crying.” Aoto looked up, concerned with the type of programs Akane’s watching. What makes him furrow his brow is how apparently only a man and a woman are centered in those. Not that it meant anything to Aoto really, maybe.
“Well…mom usually wants me to watch these romance stories together, but to me it all looks so cheesy and cliché.”
“It’s probably anything but cheesy and cliché to others.”
“I know, and it’s even more frustrating!” the redhead grimaces and then flops back on the couch.
Aoto pauses from drinking his water and fixates his gaze on Akane as he continued complaining. What would first catch his attention was his hair. He would take note on how soft it possibly is. Next Aoto shifts his sight on Akane’s eyes, full of the energy and passion he expresses while fighting. To Aoto it seems it was all contained in these expressive eyes.
It’s a Saturday just like that. Akane found himself staying over at Aoto’s place for the day, as a change of pace again. Pretty much everyone else are busy with their own plans, leading the two decide to just find an activity to do over at Aoto’s. Although, all they have done so far is changing channels on Aoto’s small television, leading small conversations one after another.
Aoto hummed as he sets his now empty cup on the small table beside him.
“Say, do you want to kiss?”
Akane immediately stopped doing any thinking he had and quickly faced Aoto again in complete astonishment. The blonde only repeats his question in the same way he said it, prompting Akane to face left, just so he didn’t have look at those eyes.
“H-H-Hold on Aoto! I didn’t say I want to try k-kissing this badly! I was just curious about it!” He breaks into a loud awkward laugh before gathering his next stuttered words. “Besides, we’re good friends, a-aren’t we?! Wouldn’t this be crossing some sort of taboo?!”
“…Crossing taboos don’t matter to me. And calling this an unofficial experiment wouldn’t do much to any of us, right?” Aoto too was feeling a bit uneasy, but since it was him who brought this up, he decided to power forward. “But that’s if you’re alright with it, Akane.”
“I” he began. Is this really ok? He knew Aoto is extremely selfless, so he only feels uneasy that Aoto is willing to satisfy a simple and stupid curiosity of Akane’s. And Akane can just wait until he actually started dating someone, why is he really considering this! The reason is, of course, that Akane would definitely kiss Aoto, just so he knows if it’s as he imagines it. He can’t see himself kissing anyone else really, and Akane wondered why that is…
“Let’s do this then.” Rang confidently across the house.
Akane and Aoto look at each other, expecting something to happen. A good minute passes and the thought of moving at this point made it seem impossible for Akane, who was getting more embarrassed by seconds.
Aoto was, if not, even less aware of how affection worked. Sure, he deeply appreciated the comforting hugs Akane gave when Aoto found himself remembering anything from his past. He liked warming Akane’s surprisingly cold hands, even if they only did it when they were lying together, basking in the comfort of each other.
Any ‘experience’ Aoto ever had is only hearing a couple coming on at each other with kisses in public. But this definitely isn’t something he wants to do with Akane. Not that he often wonders what kissing Akane is like. It’s definitely not that he is subconsciously over the moon at the thought of kissing him. They’re friends after all, right?
But this friend is alright with this all. And if he isn’t, he will make it known, is what the blonde could only think.
Aoto decides to be direct and places his hands on Akane’s shoulders. The redhead immediately tenses up at the touch, so Aoto doesn’t try to rush him until he relaxes. Bit by bit Aoto moves forward, gradually making his way to Akane’s face.
The other boy can only puffer his cheeks so he didn’t grimace from being so flustered. His mind and heart are only racing, making him loose himself more and more. This is definitely not good.
Akane tries to calm himself down by repeating ‘calm down’ in his mind and it works for a few moments until the phrase shifts to ‘chill out’ and until he knows it his mind started repeating ‘chilly tomato’.
It was helping, miraculously, but not until Aoto was inches away from closing the distance between them.
“Chilly tomatoes!” is heard. Akane seriously hasn’t felt this lost in the past while.
“Chilly…tomatoes?” Aoto repeated as his face described only utter shock.
“Ah. You know they’re my favourite food, so I wonder should I make me some tomorrow and maybe invite everyone and eat it together, we’d have fun, I really enjoy the idea of this!” he doesn’t even know what he’s going on about.
“Akane, are you ok? You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.”
“No” he immediately cut off, fearing he might have sounded desperate. “p-please, let’s try again. J-just, give me a moment.”
Aoto nods and decides not to directly look at Akane so he doesn’t get intimidated any further. He starts to fear this isn’t a good idea after all.
Akane in the meantime tries to gather his breath slowly, calmly. He tries to accustom the thought that he’ll kiss Aoto and likewise. It’s so embarrassing, but to admit, it’s easier for Akane to imagine it as cliché as possible.
And Akane wants to avoid thinking about what Aoto’s lips are like, because this is definitely something the cliché romances he so hates don’t touch upon. But hethinks anyway. He can’t help but wonder whether they’re as soft as his hands. Akane gets overwhelmed again, questioning himself if he’d even die only from kissing the boy of water.
And so is the question: would the water put out the entire fire?
Akane seriously wonders whether this would work, because otherwise they would be sitting here trying to kiss all day. He takes Aoto’s hand, intertwining fingers. Aoto immediately notices what’s going on and does the same. The redhead inches forward to meet the other’s lips. This time, they’re both moving, eyes closed, breathing is slightly less than calm.
The first and possibly only thought that comes floating for both of them is how warm it feels. This is the sensation that makes a kiss so special.
The butterflies that Aoto has had around Akane at times feel as if they are multiplying, another new feeling for him. All in the while, Akane thinks there’s even more of a storm raging in his heart, yet he wouldn’t have it otherwise. Both feel so at place like this that they can’t move for the several moments this lasts.
Once they pull away for a bit, they look at each other for a few seconds, and gently close the distance again. The static flows through again, everything felt so amazing. This kiss lasts for a few moments longer. Aoto has never felt something so incredible and he wouldn’t mind if time were to stop now.
When pulling away, Akane loosens his grip on the other’s hand, while immediately lifting his free one to trace his lips. Aoto looks away; he finally knows why Akane was so overwhelmed just a bit ago. He can’t help but bite his lip from nervousness. He faces Akane again.
“That was-”
“Woah.”
“Yeah.”
“So this is what kissing is.”
“Yeah.” He nodded twice in both responses.
“But doesn’t that qualify more like a peck, Aoto?” he asks, still huffing, despite that these tranquil kisses didn’t take much of him. Akane realizes he is probably pushing it, but he actually didn’t expect to say this out loud.
“I’m not sure really…”
“Well even so, you know w-what they say, right?”
“What exactly?” this comes off more hesitant than possibly intended.
Akane continues looking at Aoto’s eyes with unwavering determination. Then, he breaks the tension with a grin:
“Third time’s the charm, isn’t it?”
“Akane, do you suggest us to kiss again?”
“If it’s you, I’m alright with it.” This is considered enough of a cheesy response, and Akane would laugh if he were a third person observing this. But since it’s only him and Aoto, no one has to know he said something as embarrassing.
Aoto seems a bit more hopeful at hearing this response. He raises his hands, placing them on his friend’s(?) shoulders. Akane at the same time places his own on the other’s chest. They lean in again and in a few brief moments, water reencounters fire, and warmth continues spreading as static throughout them.
This time, Akane presses up a bit more against Aoto, with the confidence that he didn’t have the previous attempts. Aoto sighs into him and Akane realizes this is getting even warmer as if he was actually on fire. He gradually sets his hands rest on Aoto’s sides, not thinking much about it.
And while being the one who offered the idea in the first place, Aoto feels his pulse speeding up even if he tries to remain calm and was certain Akane knew that as well. Aoto finds himself lifting both his hands to cup the redhead’s face, and then he realises just how good Akane feels against him.
The reason they part this time is indeed because they ran out of breath. Akane suddenly embraces Aoto with full force.
“Hold on-!” they fall over a bit comically, with Akane lying on top of the blonde. The redhead only continues laughing.
“Ah, you’re pretty unpredictable at times.” But Aoto sheepishly returns the hug anyway.
“You’re pretty amazing yourself! Hey, are you getting embarrassed now?! Heheheh, so it’s not only me!”
Aoto only sighs and smiles widely as they continue lying.