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Asahi liked his roommate. He wasn’t rude, or loud or messy. He was considerate, and didn’t hog the bathroom. He never came back at ungodly hours, and if he stayed up late, he was quiet and used his desk lamp on the lowest setting.
The problem was that Aone brought boys home. He always asked ahead of time if it was okay, and asked if Asahi would mind vacating the room for an hour or so. Asahi had never really considered himself homophobic. His best friends from high school, Sawamura Daichi and Sugawara Koushi were overtly gay for each other and it hadn’t bothered him in the slightest. In fact, seeing them kiss made him happy, because they were both wonderful people and deserved each other.
“And I swear I’m not homophobic, but it just bothers me when I see Aone kiss these guys, and the thought of them DOING things in my room…” Asahi complained to the couple in question. The pair looked at each other over their coffee.
“Asahi, we know you aren’t homophobic. Has it occurred to you that maybe you’re just uncomfortable with PDA?” Suga suggested, “Like if he was doing these things with girls, would it bother you less?”
Asahi sipped his cappuccino, trying to imagine the tall, muscular male bringing home a girl, perhaps Kiyoko. Asahi screwed up his face; he just couldn’t picture it.
“He’s too gay. I can’t even begin to imagine it.”
“Well, I’m sure it’s something like that.” Daichi assured him.
“I hope you’re right… I don’t want to become one of those people… I’m trash enough as it is…” Asahi sighed, downcast. Suga smacked the back of Asahi’s head.
“You’re a giant with a glass heart, you’re hardly trash.” He informed his friend, and Daichi nodded in agreement.
“Thanks, guys,” Asahi rubbed his head, “I’m gonna head to class. I’ll see you at dinner.”
It was a few days later that the topic was brought up again.
“And that guy he was dating, Futakuchi, he came and banged on our door at three am.”
“What on earth did he want?”
“He dumped him! His parents found out he was gay and told him if he didn’t break up with Aone immediately, they’d pull him out of school!”
“That’s horrible! How’s Aone taking it?”
“He’s not doing well. Of course, he’s trying to pretend everything is fine, but his eyes are all red, and he’s talking even less than usual. I hurt just looking at him…”
“Buy his favorite ice cream, and watch Dirty Dancing with him.” Suga told him, completely serious.
“Okay…”
So Asahi ran to the campus convenience store, and grabbed a gallon of Aone’s favorite ice cream, and headed back to their room.
“Aone…? I’m home… I brought you a present…” He called hesitantly as he opened the door.
“Welcome home…” he rumbled softly.
“Here.” Asahi dropped the bag in his roommates lap. “I’m going to go shower, but why don’t we watch a movie after?”
Asahi gathered his pajamas.
“Okay…” Aone agreed. To the rest of the world Aone looked indifferent, but Asahi could tell that he was pleased and grateful for the ice cream. Asahi offered him a smile as he went into their bathroom.
Fifteen minutes later, Asahi stepped out of the bathroom in just his pajama pants, drying his hair. Aone had set up Netflix and was waiting. He quickly averted his gaze when Asahi emerged shirtless.
“I told you it’s no big deal if you see me shirtless…” Asahi chewed his lip, “I’m not that ugly am I? I know I’m not as chiseled as you but…”
“No.” Aone told him firmly, meeting his eyes. He handed the remote to Asahi as the boy blushed. He scrolled through the movies until he finds “Dirty Dancing”.
“Is this okay?” Aone nodded.
At the end of the movie, Asahi is bawling his eyes out, and has the contents of half a box of tissues in his lap.
“I-I c-can’t believe it, they d-don’t stay t-together …” Asahi blew his nose again, adding the tissue to the top of the pile. “How are you not cry-”
Asahi saw that Aone’s eyes are watering. He quickly wiped the tears on his sleeve. Asahi offered him a tissue, Aone accepted it and blew his nose loudly. He tossed the tissue in the trash and hugged his teddy bear closer.
Uncertain what to do, Asahi carefully rubbed small circles on the other boy’s back. He relaxed slightly, so Asahi continued. They stay like that for a few minutes, then suddenly Aone leaned into Asahi’s shoulder.
“W-what are you doing??” Asahi panicked. Aone answered him with a snore. Oh. Looking down at the other boy, he observed how relaxed and peaceful he was. Asahi felt warm all over and a smile danced at his lips. He couldn’t bring himself to move his roommate to his own bed, and so he ended up falling asleep on top of him.
The next morning Asahi awoke tucked under the covers in his own bed. A note on his desk read “Thanks”. Smiling, Asahi tucked it in his pocket as he went to meet Daichi and Suga for coffee.
“The usual, please, Oikawa!” He told the barista, and offered his card. Oikawa grinned cheekily and passed him the drink, already prepared.
“I added in a shot of hazelnut this time- tell me what you think, later!” Asahi smiled bashfully, taking the drink from him. He headed to the usual table, Daichi and Suga already waiting there.
Immediately, he started chatting about the evening before, and Suga and Daichi exchanged a look.
“So… You cuddled?” Suga clarified.
“That sounds almost…” Asahi’s eyes grew wide, and his cheeks went red.
“Romantic?” offered Daichi. Asahi immediately stood up to run, but Suga seized him by the belt loop.
“You’ve got a crush on him.” Suga grinned in awe, “It bothered you when he brought people home because you were jealous…” Asahi hid his face, having realized the same thing a few seconds before.
“Quit giving him a hard time, Suga.” Daichi admonished his boyfriend. “Asahi, you didn’t even realize you liked boys, did you?”
“I-I mean I like g-girls…” Asahi stammered, “How can I like g-guys if I l-like g-g-girls?”
“Have you heard the term bisexual?” Suga released Asahi’s belt loop, and the boy sat down at the table, resting his forehead on his fingertips.
“No…”
“It’s where someone likes boys and girls. A lot of people don’t believe it’s a thing, but it absolutely is.”
“So I’m bisexual?” Asahi asked.
“Maybe.” Daichi hesitated, “There’s a couple of other things you could be, too. There’s something called pansexual, where who you like has nothing to do with their gender, or Aone might be the only guy you ever have a crush on, and that’s okay too.”
“I-I need to think about this…” Asahi left, forgetting his coffee.
He avoided the room as much as he could the next few days, throwing himself into his studies. Aone, concerned, offered to listen to anything he was struggling with, to which Asahi responded by turning bright red and denying he was struggling with anything.
One evening, he went down to dinner, and saw Aone. But Aone was not alone. He was, in fact, getting hit on. A small boy with bright orange hair was bouncing around him. Judging by the blood slowly collecting in Aone’s face, the attention wasn’t ill received.
Asahi turned to run out, and slammed right into the one other person he’d hate to see by Aone- Futakuchi. The latter’s plate clattered to the ground, and of course Aone stormed over to help his roommate up, glaring at Futakuchi as though he had done it on purpose. The small orange haired kid forgotten, Aone asked if Asahi was okay. Asahi ran. Aone chased him.
It wasn’t long until the boy caught up to Asahi, cornering him right outside their room.
“Why have you been avoiding me these past few days?” Aone demanded. It might have been the longest sentence the boy had ever uttered in front Asahi.
“I-I haven’t been avoiding y-you…” Asahi stuttered, trying to escape. Aone placed his hand on the wall above Asahi’s shoulder.
“Did I offend you?” He pressed.
“N-no! N-nothing like that!” Aone’s hand fell from the wall, and he pinched the bridge of his nose.
“Did you figure out… that I like you?” Asahi’s mouth dropped open.
“YOU LIKE ME?” Asahi asked, flabbergasted. Aone looked away, blush creeping into his cheeks. “I-I like you, too…”
Aone turned sharply to look at Asahi, who squirmed under his gaze.
“I thought you were straight.”
“So did I.” He muttered, not making eye-contact, “I’m toying with bisexual…”
Aone grabbed him by the collar and pressed his lips to Asahi’s.
“Definitely like guys,” Asahi gasped when they broke apart, knees weak. The corner of Aone’s mouth twitched upward, and the boy smiled for the first time.
Well, shit. Asahi’s heart pounded. He definitely liked this guy.