Work Text:
The sun was beginning to dip low, bleeding honey-colored light across the horizon when Todomatsu arrived at the construction site.
He stepped out of his car with the casual ease of someone who knew exactly how out of place he looked—pink button-up shirt, soft slacks, stylish sneakers— standing against the backdrop of hardhats, steel beams, and men coated in a day’s worth of dust and sweat.
He pushed his sunglasses up into his hair and adjusted the bag slung over one shoulder, making his way toward the open clearing where a small crowd was gathered, finishing up the day’s labour.
And there, standing near the skeleton of a new building, a clipboard in one hand and his vest half-zipped, was Karamatsu .
Todomatsu’s mouth curled into a slow grin.
He didn’t call out.
Didn’t wave.
Instead, he strolled up casually , weaving between toolboxes and sawhorses, until he was close enough for Karamatsu to notice him.
It didn’t take long.
Karamatsu glanced up from his clipboard, probably expecting one of his coworkers, and then froze mid-step when he saw Todomatsu approaching.
There was a beat—half a heartbeat, where confusion crossed his face.
And then the, immediate and unmistakable, face of fluster .
Karamatsu’s entire posture straightened like he was trying to look more official, more composed, but his ears turned pink under the rim of his hardhat, betraying him instantly.
Todomatsu savoured it.
“Good evening, Mr. Construction Worker,” Todomatsu said sweetly, voice pitched low enough that only Karamatsu could really hear. “You come here often?”
Karamatsu coughed, choking slightly on his own breath, and frantically looked around.
Too late.
Several workers nearby were already watching.
A few leaned against beams or toolboxes, pretending not to stare while very obviously staring.
One man nudged another with his elbow, whispering something.
Todomatsu noticed the way one guy mouthed, “ Who is that ?” to his friend.
The way another whispered back, “ They look alike… are they twins ?”
One of the older guys, someone who looked like he’d been on the site for decades, just muttered, “ Jesus, Matsuno-san has a twin ?”
Todomatsu nearly burst out laughing.
Karamatsu fumbled with his clipboard like it might shield him somehow.
“ T-Totty ,” he stammered under his breath. “What are you doing here?”
Todomatsu leaned in slightly, like he was about to share a scandalous secret.
“Picking you up, obviously. Can’t let my hardworking husband walk home all sweaty and tragic.” He smiled, wide and wicked. “Gotta pamper you a little.”
The heat blooming across Karamatsu’s face was almost impressive .
Somewhere behind them, a younger worker let out a low whistle before walking away to their post.
Karamatsu made a small wounded sound in the back of his throat, looking like he wanted the earth to swallow him whole.
Todomatsu wasn’t done yet.
He stepped closer, reaching up with exaggerated tenderness to brush a smudge of dirt from Karamatsu’s cheek with his thumb.
Karamatsu flinched like he’d been electrocuted, eyes darting around to the very obvious audience gathering nearby.
Todomatsu tilted his head, voice syrupy.
“You’re dirty,” he murmured. “Need someone to clean you up, handsome?”
Karamatsu looked like he was about to combust.
A couple workers cracked up, laughing openly now.
The foreman, a broad-shouldered woman with sharp eyes and a sharper smirk, leaned against a steel beam and said loudly, “Alright, show’s over, lovebirds . Wrap it up, Matsuno, your shift’s almost done anyway.”
Karamatsu let out a noise halfway between a sigh and a whimper.
Todomatsu just winked at her.
“Thank you!” Todomatsu chirped, linking his arm through Karamatsu’s and steering him toward the break trailer with infuriating ease.
The murmurs behind them faded into the noise of equipment being packed up, but not before Todomatsu caught one last whispered comment—
“ Man. Wish someone would look at me like that when I got off work .”
⸻
By the time Karamatsu clocked out and peeled off his vest and gloves, he looked both exhausted and utterly defeated.
Todomatsu waited by the truck, arms crossed, looking smug and pleased with himself.
“You’re evil,” Karamatsu muttered, climbing into the passenger seat without meeting his eyes.
“You love it,” Todomatsu said simply, sliding behind the wheel.
He started the engine, the soft hum of the truck filling the cab, and pulled out of the lot with one hand on the wheel and the other resting casually on Karamatsu’s thigh.
Karamatsu didn’t protest.
If anything, he leaned into it a little.
The drive home was quiet, peaceful. The city slipping by outside the windows in a wash of fading sunlight and neon signs blinking to life.
Todomatsu tapped his thumb lightly against Karamatsu’s leg in rhythm with the music on the radio, a mindless, affectionate little gesture.
Karamatsu exhaled slowly, finally relaxing against the seat, letting his head tip back.
“Sorry if I embarrassed you,” Todomatsu said after a few minutes, his voice quieter now.
Karamatsu shook his head without opening his eyes. “No… I liked it. It just… caught me off guard is all.”
Todomatsu smiled, soft and genuine this time.
He didn’t need to say anything else.
They pulled into the driveway a few minutes later, the porch light already on, the warm hum of home waiting behind the door.
Todomatsu parked, killed the engine, and turned toward Karamatsu.
“Come on, my hard-working construction prince,” he said lightly. “Let’s get you inside and showered. Then you can be pampered properly .”
Karamatsu snorted under his breath, but he was already reaching for the door handle, already ready to follow.