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Thursday dragged by for Haru. His silent plea to the Universe to allow him to skip right to dinner with Makoto went unanswered, leaving him to sit through one long and boring lecture after another. It was still only 3PM when he sat hunched over the black lab table, glaring at his phone as time continued to refuse to bend to his will. He only hoped their professor would show up soon so they could start the lab, and that hopefully it would be interesting enough to hold his attention and make him forget about his dinner-not-date with Makoto for a few hours.
Not likely.
“Is this seat tak- Haru?”
Haru’s eyes widened as he recognized the voice, giving up his attempts at mental time manipulation to wrench his head around painfully- he really had to stop doing that- to look at the speaker standing slightly behind him and off to the side.
“Makoto.”
Haru was more than a little shocked to find the subject of his not at all obsessive thoughts standing before him, looking equally as surprised to see him as Haru felt. He silently thanked his long-cultivated ability to seem completely unaffected as he stared up at a gobsmacked Makoto from his stool.
“Wow, isn’t this a surprise! A nice one though,” Makoto said, giving Haru a smile and causing him to have to look away at the combination of words and gesture. “I never would have thought this is the lab you meant in your text. But I’m glad I’ll have a friend in class now!”
“Yeah,” Haru agreed, once again finding himself fighting a blush. Friend. The reminder that Makoto considered them to be friends already once again set off the butterflies that had taken residence within his stomach since Saturday.
“Do you mind if I’m your lab partner?” Makoto asked, sounding hesitant as he gestured to the stool next to Haru. “It’s fine if you don’t wa-”
“Makoto. Sit.”
“Ah, thanks Haru!”
There was that damned grin again, the one that crinkled Makoto’s eyes and stretched across his entire face. The one that never failed to make Haru’s face feel like it was on fire.
Thankfully, Makoto didn’t seem to notice as he settled into his seat, putting his backpack on the floor and pulling out a notebook and pencil as he prepared for the lab. Haru supposed he should follow suit, keeping most of his focus on Makoto as he searched through his own bag.
“I guess all the chemistry classes are mixed together for labs. That would explain why I haven’t seen you in my lecture, right? It makes sense, really, I should have expected it. Not expected that you would be here, Haru, I didn’t even know you were taking chemistry! Why are you, by the way? Not that I don’t think you should! It’s just an odd course to take for someone who’s undeclared. Usually they recommend the lighter science courses, like geology or astronomy. Though if you’re thinking about a major that requires chemistry it’s actually very smart to take this class. It’ll count as a science credit regardless and you’d also get a chance to figure out if you like the related courses enough to declare that major. That’s very wise of you, Haru.”
Haru couldn’t help the smile tugging at his lips as Makoto essentially had an entire conversation, about Haru, by himself. And the best part was that Makoto was essentially correct in everything he said. Haru wasn’t sure if it was normal to feel pleased that someone he had known for less than a week could apparently read him so well after only a few conversations- and most of those had been fairly one sided also- but he did. It made him feel kind of special, that Makoto had obviously paid enough attention to Haru in those few days to glean this kind of insight into his mind. It meant Makoto cared, and that wasn’t something Haru was very used to, but he found he definitely enjoyed it coming from Makoto.
“Thanks.”
Makoto just grinned back before reaching down into his bag again to rifle through some papers. “I know I put my schedule in here somewhere… I should really organize my things better- ah! Here it is! Hmm, well, class definitely should have started by now. I wonder where the professor is?”
Haru made a noncommittal noise, no longer attempting to bring their teacher to the room through sheer force of will with Makoto sitting next to him. Haru hoped the professor would be even later, actually.
“Anyway, how has your day been, Haru?” Makoto asked, looking over at Haru as he leaned an elbow on the table. “Has it been as slow as mine?”
“Slower,” Haru muttered, eyes going wide when he realized he had actually said that outloud.
Makoto just chuckled, apparently finding that amusing. “Yeah, I found myself wishing classes were already over all day and that it was time for dinner already. But I suppose I don’t mind anymore, now we can spend even more time together!”
Haru ducked his head, pretending to mess around with his notebook as he attempted to conceal the flush he could feel creeping across his face at Makoto’s words. Though the fact that Makoto had also been looking forward to their dinner plans made a different type of warmth fill his chest.
He was saved from having to reply by their teacher finally arriving, looking as flustered as Haru felt, and then lab began.
“-And I’m a little nervous about how many chemicals it sounds like we’re going to be handling,” Makoto continued talking as they walked across campus to the dining hall, carrying most of the conversation as- what Haru hoped- was usual. “I mean, I know it’s a chemistry lab, but it’s still the first semester and I’m not sure it’s a good idea to let us handle things that could burn a hole in, well, anything. And I’m sort of what you would call clumsy. Not that I would ever spill anything on you, Haru! At least, not on purpose anyway… Um, maybe you should handle the more acidic and basic solutions eheh…”
Haru couldn’t help but smile as Makoto trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. It was entirely unfair how cute Makoto always seemed to be. He looked cute when he was embarrassed. He looked cute when he smiled. He looked cute when he laughed. He even looked cute when he almost tripped down the stairs outside the science building a few minutes ago. Haru realized he really needed to stop thinking about how cute Makoto was- and staring at him out of the corner of his eye- when Haru almost veered into a lamppost.
“I’m glad that most of our labs will be group work,” Makoto said, giving Haru a curious look when Haru glared behind himself at the streetlamp. “It should be fun to work together, don’t you think?”
“Yeah.”
“I don’t really mind working alone, but I think group work is better sometimes; more fun, you know?”
Haru couldn’t say he agreed with that, his previous experiences with group projects were not things he looked back on with much fondness; or any, really. But something told him he might feel differently if his partner was Makoto.
“I promise to do my best either way though. You can count on me as your partner, Haru!” Makoto said with a big grin as he held the cafeteria door open for Haru.
Haru tried not to think about the implications of holding a door for someone. Surely it was just Makoto being polite and kind, things Haru already knew were a core part of the other. However, his stupid crush- just a crush- made him hope for more.
He tried not to dwell on the thought as the pair made their way through the cafeteria, gathering their meals and settling down to eat at the same table as they had the other day. Haru tried very hard to not start thinking of it as ‘their’ table.
“Our professor sure is a… character, isn’t he, Haru?” Makoto asked after a few minutes, clearly not satisfied with the silence that had settled between them as they began to eat.
“Mm? I guess,” Haru said distractedly, focused more on pushing his curry around as he searched in vain for any sign of fish in the dish than the topic of their teacher.
“I mean, those jokes he kept telling. Well, I assume they were supposed to be funny, but I didn’t really get them? What was that last one? Something about helium in a bar?”
Haru looked up, finally focusing on Makoto and giving up his fruitless search. He thought back for a moment before responding. “‘Helium walks into a bar. The bartender says, “we don’t serve noble gases here.” Helium doesn’t react.’”
“That was it! I’m not sure I really get it.” Makoto looked a bit embarrassed, which Haru of course found adorable, so he decided to be kind and explain the (terrible) joke.
“Helium is a noble gas. Noble gases are unreactive. Remember?”
It took a moment, but Makoto’s eyes eventually lit up in understanding. “Oh. Ooooh! ‘Doesn’t react,’ I get it now! Ah, thanks, Haru!”
And again with the smile. Haru had to grab his glass of water as a distraction in order to avoid looking directly at it. Makoto’s smiles are basically like the sun, he decided. Looking at them directly for long periods of time was surely bad for you; the sudden onset rapid pounding of his heart seemed to support that theory.
“Though I’m sure there have to be better chemistry jokes out there,” Makoto continued, looking thoughtfully down at his own plate. “We did just have to memorize the periodic table recently, let’s think of some!”
Haru met Makoto’s eyes in surprise. “What?” That was certainly not where he expected the conversation to go.
“Come on, it’ll be fun! I know you understand enough about the elements to be able to, Haru, you can’t back out now.”
Was that a smirk on Makoto’s face? Haru didn’t know if he should be worried or turned on. Maybe he’d have to settle for both…
“... Fine,” he grudgingly allowed, seeing as Makoto didn’t look about to drop the idea any time soon.
“Great! I’m sure you’ll enjoy it, you’ll see,” Makoto assured him, though Haru was nowhere near convinced. He did enjoy watching Makoto bite his lip as he tilted his head in thought though. “Hmm… How about… Oh! I’ve got one! Want to hear a joke about potassium?”
“... Alright.”
“K.”
It took Haru a moment, brows furrowing as he waited for Makoto to continue, before the obviously suppressed smile trying to cross Makoto’s lips made it click. “Oh. Because the symbol for potassium is K.”
Makoto chuckled. “Yes, but if it didn’t make you laugh it’s not that good. I’ll try and think of another for you.”
Haru wasn’t sure he would ever find chemistry puns amusing enough to warrant a laugh, but it didn’t look like Makoto was about to give up either, so he decided to go with it and try and come up with one himself. Maybe all those hours spent memorizing the Periodic Table of Elements would be useful for something outside of chemistry class after all…
“Should I think of any sodium jokes? Na.”
Haru quirked a brow at that as Makoto stifled a laugh at his own joke. “What do you do with a dead chemist?” Haru asked, giving Makoto a small smirk. “Barium.”
“Ha, Haru! See, it’s not so hard!” Makoto gave him a large grin, pleased with Haru’s participation. “Did you hear about the chemist reading the book about helium? He couldn’t put it down.”
“I’d tell you a chemistry joke, but all the good ones argon.”
“I hope that’s not a commentary on my joke quality,” Makoto teased, chuckling at Haru. “Did you hear oxygen went on a date with potassium? It went OK.”
Haru had to crack a smile at that, and also ignore how the word ‘date’ made his chest tighten suddenly. “You must think you’re sodium funny.”
Makoto laughed at that. “Okay, okay, let me think of a good one… Did you hear that Oxygen and Magnesium hooked up last night? OMg.”
“That’s awful.” Haru shook his head, but the smile was impossible to keep off his lips at that point.
“No, no, I really think I’m onto something with the spelling puns now,” Makoto said with a laugh, smile and eyes equally bright as he looked at Haru from across the small table. “Why does helium laugh so much? Because it goes HeHe.”
He had no idea why every pun was seeming more amusing than the last, especially since they were all godawful, but Haru couldn’t help the soft, closed-mouth chuckles that escaped him as he watched Makoto enjoy himself so much. If Makoto could make Haru laugh at chemistry puns of all things, Haru idly wondered if there was anything Makoto couldn’t get him to do.
“Are you made of copper and tellurium? Because you're CuTe.”
Suddenly Haru felt like the air was knocked from his lungs. He looked up at Makoto quickly, searching his face for any sign that this was not just another part of the jokes, that Makoto was actually being serious (as serious as flirting through chemistry puns could be). But no, Makoto’s face remained the same, eyes gentle and soft and oh so green, lips curved into a wide grin, small giggles escaping from between them every few moments. No signs of anticipation or boldness that Haru could tell. Haru was both profoundly disappointed and oddly relieved, all at once.
Still, he should be sure that Makoto was just being, well, Makoto, and not hitting on him… “Are you made of beryllium, gold, and titanium? You must be, because you are BeAuTi-ful.”
There was a moment of silence as Makoto’s smile slipped, and Haru felt fear and regret shoot through him, but then Makoto looked up, brow furrowing and lips pursing in what Haru already recognized as Makoto’s thinking look- and crap if that wasn’t adorable too.
“Oh! Because beryllium is Be, gold is Au, and titanium is Ti!” Makoto stated, looking proud of himself as he shot Haru another grin. “I always get gold and silver mixed up, it took me a second.”
Haru gave him a small smile in return before a thought occurred to him. Maybe he could try just once more. “That’s alright, I still think you’re sodium fine.”
“Haha, Haru you’ve already used the ‘sodium’ pun before; it’s cheating to use it again!” Makoto reprimanded, clearly not picking up on Haru’s (poor) attempt at flirting as he laughed.
Haru was kinda disappointed his secret flirting was still secret, but he was also relieved because he honestly had no idea what to do next if Makoto had understood it. “Alright, enough with the puns then. We’ve all sulfur-ed enough.”
Makoto laughed outright at that, giving Haru his biggest smile yet and Haru wondered if the attraction he felt to Makoto right at that moment would be better described with chemistry or physics metaphors; either way, he didn’t know enough about either subject to make a proper one, but he felt like there was a missed opportunity for one of them.
“See? I told you you’d enjoy it, Haru!”
Haru couldn’t bring himself to deny it as Makoto beamed at him, settling for a noncommittal grunt instead. He would sit through a hundred lame jokes, and enjoy it too, as long as it made Makoto happy. It doesn’t matter how boron they are- damnit! Now he was doing it in his own mind! Clearly, the lack of proper nutrition (i.e. fish) was getting to him. He should plan a trip to the store that weekend to rectify that. Speaking of…
“Makoto. Have dinner with me tomorrow. I’m cooking mackerel.”
“Eh? Oh, uh, sure, Haru! That sounds… nice!” Makoto said, covering his confusion at the sudden topic change with a smile. “But can you really cook an actual meal in the dorm kitchen?”
“I can,” Haru said, smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
“Haru is so mean!” Makoto complained, pouting at him. “I still think I could have handled making the grilled cheese.”
“Mmm, maybe. As long as another spider hadn’t shown up.”
Makoto visibly shuddered at the mention. “Um, maybe- maybe you shouldn’t cook in the kitchen, Haru. Uh, it’s very small, after all, and um, not very clean? And the cafeteria food isn’t that bad…” he trailed off as he noticed Haru’s raised brow. “Okay, maybe that’s a lie, but it’s better than spiders!”
“Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.” Haru was pleased to see that he wasn’t the only one subjected to the ignobility of blushing as Makoto’s face turned a bright red, and Haru couldn’t help but grin.
“So mean,” Makoto repeated softly, dipping his head down and mock-glaring up at Haru through his lashes as he continued to pout.
Cute.
Haru then found himself wishing he could control time in the opposite manner as earlier. Instead of speeding it up, he wanted to slow it down, especially as he and Makoto gathered their things to head back to the dorms. Tomorrow was Friday, and while he didn’t have any classes with Makoto to look forward to, Rin would be gone with Sousuke all weekend, leaving Haru with ample opportunities to eat with Makoto- one of which would definitely involve some decent mackerel; possibly two, depending on which Makoto disliked more, sketchy cafeteria food or the possibility of spiders.
As they made their way across campus and Makoto chatted animatedly with Haru, while Haru mostly hummed in response, Haru felt the combination of calm and warmth he was beginning to associate with Makoto’s presence wash over him. It was nice, just being with Makoto like that. As friends. He could be happy with Makoto being his- cute, adorable- friend. Especially when Makoto inquired about his plans for the weekend and asked if Haru would like to study chemistry together at some point.
Haru was almost tempted to tell Makoto that they had plenty of chemistry between them without having to study, but decided to keep that to himself. He really hoped this sudden new propensity for chemistry puns was only temporary...