Work Text:
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The gym facility was almost empty. The echo of equipment and shouts had long faded away— leaving only the faint hum and flickering of lights along with a soft squeak of occasional shoes against the polished floor.
Hiori sat on a low bench in the corner, his earphones idle in his ears, legs stretched out, and rhythmically tapping his finger along with the pounding riffs, heavy drums, and distorted guitar that's playing through his phone and maybe quite leaking through his ‘buds..; the music was loud, harsh, and angry.
—He was enjoying his given leisure time. The music was not just for focus. Growing up his parents had been controlling…always yelling around when things didn’t go on their ways,
“Shut up, asshole! It's all yer’ fault!”
“ME?!, yer’ really blamin’ me?!?, all I did was follow the instructions that ya’ gave me— technically yer’ sayin’ that yer’ a moron yerself and can't comprehend how to make a proper meal for a child!”
“Well, ya’ cud’a just double checked if it contained enough proteins!”
“—?!?, yer’ the one who's overcomplican’ things, he won't grow with that stuff!”
“We need to make some changes to his diet,”
Nothing ever felt like his own, these type of music genre let him breathe, allowed him to move in his mind when the world felt too loud.., too chaotic..; it was his escape.
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A soft shuffle of feet caught his attention, Rin appeared near the bench, clipboard tucked under his arm. Hiori was caught off guard for a moment at the sight— Hiori, usually calm and collected, was totally enthralled with the metal music.
“You seriously listen to this..?” Rin murmured fretfully, voice quiet in the almost empty gym.
Hiori glanced up narrowing his eyes,
“ ‘cuse me..,ya’?, keeps me focused.” Hiori said whilst tugging one earphone bud free, holding it out towards Rin.
Rin’s eyes narrowed slightly,
“Not what I expected..” Rin said, skeptical— placing his clipboard down then sitting next and leaning just slightly towards Hiori, shoulders brushing.
“..c’mon just try it, just one,” Hiori scoffed softly, chuckling with a small shrug.
Rin leaned closer then looked at Hiori, “....” he sighs and takes the earphone on Hiori’s palm swiftly, then places it to his left ear.
“.. ridiculous,” he muttered, but didn't pull away instead he leaned in slightly.
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They've been at it for a while now, the song kicked back mid-riff, harsh and raw. Hiori’s head bobbed slightly at sometime to the beat, content; Rin just stared at him.
“..You like this, because it's loud,” Rin said stoically
Hiori grinned, leaning a lil closer. “ ya’.., ‘cause it's loud enough to cover things up.”
Rin glanced at Hiori curious, edge in his tone softening. “....Like what?”
Hiori's smile lingered, smaller now, tilting his head and looking up slightly, index finger tugging his cheek.
“..like..uhmmm—” he was pretending to think, for— he didn't really feel like answering Rin’s question.
“Like what.” Rin snappy.
“..like..uhhhhh..mmhmm…uh..”
He is dodging my question. Rin thought, yeah he knew but doesn't push it, instead he just,
“You have a terrible taste.”
“..eh—wha’dja say?!” Hiori blinked at him and was taken aback.
“..sounds like construction work..” Rin crosses his arms
“—Well…kinda yer’ fault yer’ hearin’ it now.”
“What?” Rin frowned
“Ya’ traded yer’ goal points for my phone..remember?” Hiori said lightly and in disbelief raising an eyebrow.
“ ‘means ya’ gotta deal with whatever I play.” leaning a little in.
Rin blinked, clearly off guard— before his lips twitched. “That’s not how it works.”
“Sure it is,” Hiori replied, tugging a smirk “—Payment includes exposure to my ‘terrible’ taste.”
Rin sighed and just gave up. “You're insufferable..”
“Still sittin’ here though?” Hiori said with a grin.
“...”
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They continued to stay in their own world, listening to music and sharing earphones for a while now.
“...it's not that bad.” Rin stated, breaking the silence— almost too soft to catch.
Hiori doesn't turn but a little smug formed. “Knew ya’d say that.”
Rin didn't reply— just adjusted the earphones cord between them and let the next song play out.
Both lost in the noise that somehow didn't sound so loud anymore.
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