Work Text:
Akihiko wrestles with the camping tent, his usual confidence waning as the fabric stubbornly refuses to cooperate. He tugs at the ropes, muttering under his breath, but the tent seems to mock him at every turn.
Haruki watches from a distance, amusement flickering in his eyes as he glances between Akihiko and the tangled mess of canvas. For a moment, he wonders if he should step in and lend a hand.
Not far from them, Ugetsu lounges on a log, clearly showing no intention of lifting a finger. It’s obvious he’s more content with the idea of resting than dealing with anything remotely resembling effort. Truth be told, Ugetsu hasn’t shown much enthusiasm at the idea of camping, so Haruki can’t say to be that surprised.
“Need help?” he calls out, his voice laced with slight amusement. It’s rare to see Akihiko struggle like this.
Akihiko hesitates, his pride momentarily wounded. “No, I’ve got it.”
But as the minutes crawl by and the tent remains obstinately uncooperative, Akihiko’s patience wears thin. He steps back, hands on his hips, surveying the scene as if the distance could magically give him a better grasp of the situation. The tent stands lopsided, barely holding itself up.
He sighs. “Okay, I think I need a little help.”
“Let me do it.” Haruki steps forward, a gentle smile tugging at his lips.
Akihiko raises an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. “You can do it?”
“Of course, it’s not that hard.”
Having grown up in the countryside, he has his fair share of camping experience. As a kid, he spent plenty of days outdoors, where knowing a thing or two about open-air life was a must. Pitching a tent comes as naturally to him as breathing.
He approaches the tent, his gaze sweeping over the mess of ropes and poles, and gets to work.
“I don’t get why we have to sleep here tonight,” Ugetsu complains, pulling his cap down to shield his eyes from the afternoon sun. “Isn’t there some civilized place nearby with real beds?”
Haruki can’t help but smile at the familiar whine. “We’re camping, Ugetsu. The whole point is to set up a tent, sleep under the st—”
“That’s so stupid,” he cuts him off, unfazed.
Haruki chuckles softly. He had known from the start that Ugetsu would be the hardest to convince. Used to fancy hotels and room service, the idea of sleeping in a cramped tent in the middle of nowhere isn’t exactly his idea of a five-star experience. Still, he hopes he’ll be able to change his mind during their little adventure.
His hands move swiftly, tugging at the ropes, the poles clicking into place with a speed and efficiency that leave both Akihiko and Ugetsu stunned. As he works, he can’t help but feel their gazes on him. He smiles to himself, warmth spreading through his chest.
“Stop staring at me like this,” he says, “you’re making me nervous.”
“It’s just... Wow, you’re really cool!” Ugetsu comments.
“Where did you learn?”
“I used to go hiking with my family. And Take-chan taught me almost everything I know about camping,” he explains as he threads the poles through the tent. “We used to go a lot when we started university.”
He’d like to teach them something too, like how the stakes need to be angled for better stability, or how to find the best spot to pitch a tent, but he already knows they won’t be much interested.
In just a handful of minutes, the tent stands tall, firm and properly set up. A grin spreads across his face as he steps back to admire the final result.
“See? It was easy.”
“Looks great,” Akihiko praises him, clearly impressed. He keeps staring at him, bewildered. “How did you...? Sorry if I’ve ever underestimated you, you’re kind of a god, aren’t you?” he says with respect, both him and Ugetsu watching him with newfound admiration.
Haruki’s chest warms at their praise, a little surprised by how good it feels to hear their words. Akihiko and Ugetsu, with their confident exteriors and the apparent ease they go through life with, don’t often make him feel like he’s capable of impressing them. It’s a nice feeling, though a little embarrassing.
“It’s nothing,” Haruki dismisses, starting to feel the heat of their stares. “Really, it’s just camping stuff.”
“You’re a man full of surprises, I’m kinda turned on right now.”
Haruki looks at Akihiko with wide eyes, heat creeping up his neck. “Shut up,” he stammers, flustered. He swipes a hand through his hair. “There are still a lot of things to do here. Instead of staring at me, why don’t you make yourself useful?”
Akihiko and Ugetsu blinks at him, caught off guard by the sudden shift in his tone.
“Bossy,” Ugetsu mutters under his breath.
It’s not often that Haruki takes charge, probably more like never, but now, with his back straightened up and his hands on his hips, he gives them both a pointed look. “Why don’t you two light the fire?”
The blank stares they offer tell him everything there is to know. Neither of them has the faintest clue how to start a campfire.
“Really?” he says, raising an eyebrow. “Come on, you must at least know how to gather wood? Go into the woods and find some small sticks. Dry ones, preferably. And make sure they’re not too thick.”
As they move towards the trees, he can hear Ugetsu murmuring, “I thought this would be a relaxing weekend. Why do we have to do all this work?”
Haruki suppresses a smile. He should have known Ugetsu wouldn’t be into this at all. As he waits for them to return, he clears a circle of grass to create a fire ring, then gathers small twigs and dry leaves, inspecting the nearby underbrush.
When they are back, Akihiko is carrying a precarious armful of branches — nearly not enough. At his side, Ugetsu shows up with a handful of dry pine cones. They unceremoniously toss everything on the ground, scattering them around.
Haruki rubs his temples, trying to suppress his growing frustration — this wasn’t a difficult task. These two can call themselves music prodigies all they want, but they wouldn’t survive a single day out in the wild. Probably, not even a whole hour.
“You two are driving me crazy,” he says. “Just— stay here. Don’t move.”
He doesn’t wait for a reply as he walks away and disappears into the woods. Surrounded by the chirping of birds, he takes in the surrounding scenery. An endless, untouched forest, the ground soft under his feet, covered with pine needles. He closes his eyes, breathing deeply. There’s nothing like the pure air of nature, with the faint rustling of leaves as the breeze gently moves through the trees.
When he returns, carrying a bundle of wood that will serve as tinder and kindling, he feels completely restored. The quiet solitude of the forest was exactly what he needed to find his peace again.
“Here, I brought everything we need.”
“Haruki!” Akihiko calls out, his eyes wide as Haruki approaches. “Where did you go?”
“We thought you’d abandoned us!” Ugetsu adds, his tone dramatic.
They both look so relieved to see him again that Haruki can’t help but giggle softly.
“You two are just so... Never mind.” He shakes his head. “Ugetsu,” Haruki calls out, “wanna try lighting the fire?”
Ugetsu looks at Haruki with a blank expression, as if contemplating every life choice that led him here. “I’m allergic to nature,” he announces in the most serious voice.
He sighs, a little exasperated. “Akihiko? Can you do this?”
Akihiko meets Haruki’s eyes with a resigned look. “Of course,” he replies, though there’s a slight edge of resentment in his voice.
But after five minutes he’s still crouched by the fire pit, glaring at the uncooperative pile of kindling that refuses to catch. He strikes another match, but the flame immediately fizzles out, a wisp of smoke carried away by the faint breeze.
“Maybe we need more tinder?” he asks, starting to sound nervous.
“We’ve got enough of it,” Haruki replies patiently. “It’s all about technique.”
Having grown bored of sitting idly, Ugetsu walks over and watches Akihiko’s increasingly frustrated attempts. “Wow, you’re surprisingly bad at this.”
“Look who’s talking. At least I’m trying.”
“Trying and failing,” Ugetsu further teases. After another failed attempt, a match fizzling out in Akihiko’s hand, Ugetsu lets out a quiet chuckle, unable to resist. It earns him a glare from Akihiko.
“If you don’t stop, I’ll throw your violin into the fire.”
Ugetsu gasps dramatically, his hand on his chest in mock outrage. “You wouldn’t dare!”
Akihiko’s lips curl into a sly smile. “Try me.”
Their bickering continues, so heated that neither notices the complete absence of a violin, or that, without a proper fire, nothing could be burnt anyway. Haruki bursts out laughing, and the soft, sweet sound instantly breaks the tension.
He steps in, his laughter fading as he crouches next to Akihiko. “Alright, enough with the drama. Let me show you how it’s done.”
Akihiko lets out a long sigh, tossing the spent matchstick into the fire pit before standing up to brush the dirt off his hands. “Fine, I give up.”
Haruki starts rearranging the kindling into a neat tepee shape under their attentive gazes. He glances up at them and sighs, knowing full well that they won’t lift a finger. “You can at least help with this. You know that, right?”
Ugetsu shrugs nonchalantly, his arms folded across his chest as if he’d rather be anywhere else but here. “We’d just be a nuisance.”
“Yeah, we prefer looking at you instead.”
Haruki rolls his eyes and shakes his head. He should stop being surprised he won’t get much help from these two. “You’re such city guys.” He strikes a match and holds it to the base of the kindling; the flames catch almost immediately, growing into a steady fire.
“He’s really a god,” he hears Akihiko whisper as he adds larger logs, arranging them to ensure good airflow.
A pleasant, crackling sound surrounds them, casting dancing shadows all around as the sun begins to set, painting the sky in a warm orange glow.
“Wow, the sky is beautiful,” Ugetsu says, finally smiling, finally with a sparkle in his eyes.
Haruki feels a contented smile tug at his lips. “Starting to enjoy the camping life?”
“That’s not going to happen.”
As they settle into folding chairs around the fire, its warmth radiating out, Haruki feels a sense of accomplishment knowing they’ve made all of this together — well, maybe not much, but they’d come this far anyway. And it feels good.
From time to time, Haruki pokes at the flames with a stick, his cheeks slightly flushed from the heat. He’s mesmerized by the dancing flames. It feels like the world has slowed down, when it’s just them and the crackling of the fire.
Probably thinking it’s time to stir things up in the too quiet atmosphere, Ugetsu suddenly sits up straight. “Let’s play a game!” he announces with twinkling eyes.
“Like what?” Akihiko raises an eyebrow.
From his bag, Ugetsu pulls out a white box. “Who’s up for a Pocky kiss challenge?”
“Is this just an excuse for kissing?”
“Obviously,” he replies without shame. Plucking a stick from the box, he holds it out towards Haruki with a teasing smirk. “Let’s start with you.” He places one end of it between his teeth and gestures for Haruki to do the same.
Haruki hesitates for a few seconds, but imitates him nonetheless, trying to focus on chewing and on the crisp flavour of the sweet. However, he can’t ignore how close Ugetsu is getting — or how smug he looks about it.
He’s captivated by the sight of Ugetsu, by the way the firelight dances in his eyes as he leans forward with a smirk, slowly nibbling at the chocolate-coated biscuit.
The closer their faces inch together, the hotter his cheeks burn. The proximity is overwhelming.
Heat rising in his face, he pulls away at the last second, just as their lips are about to touch.
Ugetsu laughs triumphantly. “You’re no fun, sweetie, but at least I won.” Already pulling a second Pocky stick from the box, he turns to Akihiko. “Aki?”
Akihiko’s confidence is evident as he leans in. “Let’s see if you can handle me,” he says with a bold, daring look, taking one end of the stick without hesitation.
The two of them lock eyes, leaning in towards each other, their gazes never wavering. Both of them nibble steadily towards the center, Akihiko not faltering as he matches Ugetsu’s pace, and refusing to give him even an inch of advantage. As Haruki watches them, he feels a familiar flutter in his chest. It’s not that he has never seen them kiss before, but there’s something about this game that makes it impossible to look away. Something about Akihiko’s fingers wrapping around Ugetsu’s nape, or the soft giggles they let out as they get closer, that makes Haruki realize just how deeply he cares for them both.
Finally, the Pocky stick disappears as they share a kiss that lasts much longer than the game would require. Neither of them seems really apologetic about it.
Ugetsu smirks, pleased with the outcome. “Not bad. I’d say it’s a tie.”
“You’re just mad I didn’t back down like Haruki.”
“Let’s see how well you’ll do against him, then,” Ugetsu replies, taking another stick and waving it teasingly.
Haruki still feels flushed, but Ugetsu doesn’t let him off the hook. “You’re not getting out of this one, angel,” he says, challenging him.
Akihiko bites down on one end of it, lips curled up in a teasing expression. “Don’t worry,” he says, around it, “I’ll go easy on you.” That doesn’t ease Haruki’s flush at all, but he still takes the stick between his lips.
They slowly nibble towards the center, Akihiko’s gaze steady and warm, each bite bringing them closer. Haruki feels his pulse quicken with every inch of distance closed between them.
Finally, their faces are just a whisper apart, and Akihiko takes the plunge. Before Haruki has the time to fully realize, Akihiko is kissing him gently. His lips taste like chocolate, and Haruki finds himself wanting more. He melts into the kiss, his eyes fluttering shut as he lets himself savour it.
“Wow, angel,” Ugetsu teases with a pout. “You kissed Aki but not me?”
When they pull apart, Haruki struggles to meet Akihiko’s gaze without feeling completely undone.
“Come here, let’s do it again,” he continues, already grabbing another Pocky stick. “This time you better not run away.”
His eyes sparkle with mischief. “I promise I won’t bite,” he says, his voice suddenly lower. “Unless you want me to.”
Haruki groans in embarrassment. He’ll never stop being flustered around his boyfriends. Especially not now that Ugetsu is biting on the stick slowly, his gaze unwavering. A calm, collected pace that only seems to heighten Haruki’s anticipation, with the way Ugetsu is savouring the moment just to fluster him further.
Their lips touch. Once. Twice. And then again, until the sweet taste of chocolate overwhelms Haruki’s senses. Ugetsu’s lips are always so soft, so gentle — he shouldn’t have backed off during the first round.
Akihiko intervenes with mock jealousy, feeling left out. “Hey, that’s enough!” he says, trying to pull them apart.
Haruki and Ugetsu exchange a knowing glance, a silent conversation passing between them — they know exactly what they have to do.
“G-guys?” Akihiko asks, suspicious as he catches sight of their mirrored grins.
Before he can react, Haruki and Ugetsu lean in and cover his face in smooches, not leaving a single inch of skin untouched.
The sound of their laughter fills the air.
***
“Do you think we can see shooting stars from here?”
Lying on a blanket spread across the ground, Haruki stares up into the darkening sky. The first stars begin to twinkle to life above them, bright and vivid in the absence of city lights. They look so different from the ones barely visible in Tokyo. Here, the universe seems endless .
Haruki shifts on the blanket beneath him. The night air is crisp, carrying the lingering scent of wood mixed with the earthiness of the forest. Somewhere in the distance, the chirping of crickets makes it feel even more peaceful.
“Probably?” Akihiko replies. “What would you wish for?”
Before Haruki can answer, Ugetsu cuts in. “To be back in my comfortable bed instead of the ground,” he mutters dramatically, not sharing the same sense of awe as the others. Or probably doing a good job at hiding it.
“Oh, shut up,” Akihiko silences him, rolling his eyes. “You’re enjoying this more than you let on.” By this point, it’s clear that Ugetsu has warmed up to their small escapade; his complaints have dramatically dwindled over the past hour.
“Fine, maybe a little,” he concedes with a hint of a smile. “But you guys better don’t turn this into a tradition, or you’ll be coming here alone.”
Akihiko laughs. “Fine, we’ll leave you home next time.”
Ugetsu gasps in indignation. “The audacity!”
Haruki’s gaze returns to the sky. As Akihiko points out a few constellations, his voice animated with excitement, both Haruki and Ugetsu watch with interest, their eyes wide in wonder. Even a city boy like Ugetsu can’t resist the beauty of the universe. Though Haruki is pretty sure that most of the names Akihiko is throwing out are completely made up.
It doesn’t really matter as he snuggles closer to him, head resting on his shoulder as the night grows colder. Akihiko wraps his arm around him, holding him close while they continue to watch the stars together. Ugetsu moves closer, his body too pressing against Haruki’s other side. It’s a welcome warmth that makes his chest swell with affection.
There’s something about the way the firelight plays across Akihiko’s and Ugetsu’s features that makes Haruki’s heart flutter. Their presence makes him feel safe and loved in a way he’s never allowed himself to imagine.
“Thank you for coming here with me,” he says suddenly, feeling a sense of belonging he has never experienced before meeting them. His heart is full. “We’ve really come a long way since we first met.”
The mention of their past stirs a warm, nostalgic feeling to bubble up inside him.
Being here like this is making him think back to the beginning, to those early days. To their first encounter. Back then, Haruki had felt so embarrassed and out of place, constantly fumbling through conversations, and his cheeks perpetually flushed.
He lets out a soft laugh, almost to himself.
“I was such a mess,” he adds quietly.
“You still are,” Ugetsu teases him, but Haruki can tell there’s no malice. He now knows Ugetsu enough to feel the fondness behind his words.
“I’m so glad we’ve all found each other,” Akihiko admits, his tone warm and reassuring as he looks between them. “I can’t imagine all of this without you.”
Ugetsu shifts beside Haruki, propping himself up on one elbow to look at them, his smirk never quite fading. “You two should thank me,” he says smugly. “I was the one who approached you first.”
Haruki smiles fondly at the memory of that night — tipsy on beer, for some odd reason he had found himself accepting the unusual request of his long-lasting crush’s boyfriend without quite understanding what it meant at the time.
“I saw you standing there with a beer in your hand, looking all pretty,” Ugetsu reminiscences, “and thought, ‘Aki was right, he’s beautiful. I need to ask him out.’ And so I did.”
Haruki feels his cheeks getting warmer. Even now, he still gets embarrassed by that night. But going home with them that time has been the best decision of his life. Shy, unconfident Haruki made a bet with destiny and won.
He turns to Ugetsu, leaning forward to press a brief kiss to his lips. “Thank you.”
Ugetsu freezes for a moment, not really expecting to be thanked, but his expression instantly melts into a fond one, his lips curving into a tender smile. He reaches out to kiss him back.
“Nobody’s thanking me?” Akihiko interrupts, ruffling Haruki’s hair as if to grab his attention.
Showered with affection, Haruki feels his heart is going to leap out of his chest. Feeling the love from both sides, he’s more than pleased to give him a thank-you kiss as well.
Sometimes he still struggles to believe this is all true, that he’s living his dream life with his crush and a boy he’s learned to love just as much, with the same encompassing intensity.
“Don’t give him all the credit,” Akihiko whispers in his ear, “or he’ll get too full of himself.”
“Hey! I can hear you,” Ugetsu protests. “And it’s too late for that, I’m already full of myself.”
Settling back into a comfortable silence, their gazes drifting back to the stars above, Haruki can’t stop thinking about their unconventional relationship, reflecting on how far they’ve come. Against all odds, they’re making it work.
He remembers standing awkwardly in the doorway of their apartment, wondering what he was even doing there, if he’d made a mistake and gotten too ahead of himself, too greedy. He had felt out of place, like an intruder in their world.
And he remembers being unsure whether he could spend the night there the first time or if he was supposed to go back home. Haruki smiles at the memory now, but can still feel how his chest was tight with anxiety. But then, it all fell into place — the familiarity, the growing intimacy. Akihiko and Ugetsu officially asking him to be part of the relationship, to date like real couples do — or well, throuples. Not just as a third person, as an after-thought, but as a true partner.
It’s as if Haruki had always belonged there, with them. All equals in the relationship.
Making their relationship public has been another important step in their shared life. One that felt like a nerve-wracking experience at that time, but that actually turned out better than expected. He can still remember Uenoyama’s panicked reaction on Valentine’s day last year, and Mafuyu’s more collected one.
It feels nice being open about it, not having to hide. Sometimes after band practice, Ugetsu picks them up and drives them back home, telling each other about their day. More than a few times the five of them have had dinner together in a cheap fast-food, squeezed into a booth over a hamburger — the initial reluctance from Uenoyama soon leaving place to admiration. Music geniuses always recognize each other, after all.
As he glances left and right at the two of them — at the two people who have become his home — Haruki smiles softly to himself.
“You asked me what I’d wish for on a shooting star,” he says, his voice low, tuning with the quietness of the falling night. The fire has burned down to glowing embers by now. “I think I’d wish for always having these moments with the two of you.”